Last new internal combustion Audi to arrive before 2026
From then on, all new models to be EV says report
Audi is planning to reveal its last new internal combustion model in the next five years. That’s far sooner than EV predictions made by the brand to date and is a tremendous step in the effort to reduce transportation emissions worldwide. It would make Audi one of the first automakers to step away from new ICE models completely.
The 2026 goal has been reported by German paper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, citing comments made by Audi board chair Markus Duesmann to other company execs and labour reps. Audi will introduce its last ICE model before that year, with every subsequent vehicle an electric one.
Duesmann reportedly said that Audi’s phaseout of internal combustion means both gas and diesel models, and that includes the brand’s hybrids too. It’s a full stop on tailpipe emissions, though it specifically says new models, meaning that any gas or diesel vehicles already in production will be available for at least a couple of years.
With new vehicles usually having a lifecycle of 5-7 years, and the report not ruling out a mid-cycle refresh, it would likely be at least 2031 before the last new combustion model left, though changing market conditions could alter that timeline.
If Audi follows this timeline, expect many of Volkswagen Group’s other brands to quickly join the same path. The group shares many engines and platforms across multiple models, and dropping some from the line could push the balance of the cost equation in favour of the EV over the ICE.
Expect the automaker to continue to introduce an ever-wider range of EVs, and we’ll now wait to see which car becomes their last ICE offering.
