Audi plans to be luxury EV leader by 2020, plug-in hybrid due 2014
Audi has really big plans for its electric vehicle segment, the e-tron lineup.
“By 2020, we want to be the leading premium seller of electric vehicles,” said Franciscus van Meel, Audi’s manager for electric mobility strategy. “We will successively bring out a variety of hybrid models and electric vehicles, such as our first plug-in hybrid in 2014.”
Early next year, the Audi Q5 Hybrid will hit dealerships, followed by a full-hybrid version of the A8 sedan, which will debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Audi also has plans to debut a A1 e-tron at the Geneva show. An A6 hybrid is likely to arrive in 2012 along with the e-tron version of the R8.
Audi’s e-tron division will compete head-to-head with BMW’s Megacity Vehicle, which is designed for urban commuting.
“Today we’re assuming that our sales of Audi e-tron electric cars will rise to a six-figure volume by 2020,” van Meel said. By 2020, Audi also wants to increase the efficiency of its internal combustion engines by 30 percent and wants 5 percent of the brand’s lineup to be electric.
2012 Audi Q5 Hybrid quattro:
– By: Zain Haq
Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)
