FRANKFURT: German luxury carmaker Audi said it will stop manufacturing diesel and petrol cars by 2033 as part of an industry-wide pivot towards more environmentally friendly electric cars.
"Audi is ready to make its decisive and powerful move into the electric age," CEO Markus Duesmann said in a statement. Starting in 2026, Audi plans to only launch new all-electric car models, while "gradually phasing out" production of internal combustion engines until 2033.
However, strong demand in China could see Audi's local partners there continue to manufacture combustion engine cars beyond 2033, he added.
Carmakers everywhere are pouring huge sums into the shift towards battery-powered vehicles as they tout green credentials in a world growing more concerned about climate change. In Europe, the transition has been sped up in part because of tougher EU pollution regulations and the "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal uncovered at Audi parent Volkswagen in 2015.
Duesmann said Audi is this year already launching more new electric models than diesel or petrol models. By 2025, the four-ring brand aims to have more than 20 e-models in its lineup.
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