Audi Boss: Internal Combustion Engines Aren’t Going Away Yet

[Source: Car and Driver]

Audi CEO Gernot Döllner recently spoke to Car and Driver about future Audi models and the powertrains that they will use. The news is good for Audi enthusiasts. Not only did Döllner confirm that internal combustion engines (ICE) will stick around well into the next decade, but he left the door open for a possible R8 successor.

Just about every automaker is struggling right now trying to figure out the market as it pertains to powertrains. For many years pure gasoline or diesel engines were the only real game in town. Then came hybrids, plug-in hybrids and eventually fully electric vehicles (EVs). Government regulations across the globe were pushing manufacturers to develop EVs as it looked like they were primed to take over the market. But in the last year or so, that has changed as some regulations have been rolled back and EV tax credits expired. Consumer sediments have also changed. And a lot of this varies from market to market. So, you can feel for Audi and others as they try to navigate the future.

EV and ICE

Audi has some strong EV products. The RS e-tron GT Performance is the most powerful production Audi ever made. The Concept C promises to be an exciting EV. And even the standard Q4, Q6 and A6 e-tron models are compelling vehicles. But for many enthusiasts, ICE is a requirement for true driving excitement. And that is what makes Döllner’s comments so encouraging.

“The drivetrain concepts will definitely swing back to [internal combustion]. That’s what we see right now, and I don’t know if battery-electric will come back that fast,” explained Döllner. He went on to say that while he doesn’t envision brand new ICE platforms just yet, he does see further development being done to keep gas-only and hybrid vehicles relevant. But by the time we get into the 2030s, Audi just might have to develop new ICE platforms.

Big Decisions

The Audi CEO said that a big decision regarding powertrains will take place in the next decade. “Maybe that decision would have to be taken at the beginning of the ’30s if we see that there is still that demand, especially in the U.S., regarding combustion engines, then we will have to think about a next-generation platform for combustion engine cars,” he said.

So, what about a new Audi R8? A new Audi supercar would give a much-needed boost to the Audi lineup. And it has been suggested in the past that such a vehicle could be built using the Lamborghini Temerario platform.

“That’s someday thinkable. The perfect thing is that I can imagine an Audi from the A2, very efficient city car, to a super sports car, from a small SUV to a rugged SUV in the U.S., that would also fit the Audi brand,” said Döllner when asked about an R8 successor.

All we can do is wait and see what happens. But at the very least, it appears that ICE vehicles are going to be in Audi showrooms for the foreseeable future.