Being part of the Volkswagen family created a tough time for Audi due to the diesel car emission scandal.
It has prompted the company to drive its focus on e-tron vehicles and they plan to start production by 2018.
While the core models that the buyers are looking forward to, are being manufactured as usual, it is a confirmed update that Audi has halted production of all non-core models. They are diverting the resources available so as to make electric powertrains a possibility. It will enable the brand to bring e-tron Quattro concept cars into production within the next two years and get it in the hands of people at least by 2019.
The Audi Q2 is done through the initial stages and the car will make it way to the Geneva Motor Show as promised. However, the company will be pulling the plug on the Q4 TT Offroad concept car as well as the TT sportsback.
They will not only be using their human resources available and the factories, but financial resources will also be diverted to produce the Quattron model as soon as possible. The Q4 is not going to hit the dealership stores this year as planned and has been pushed back to 2019.
Audi expects to sell the battery powered e-tron Quattro car for 65,000 Euros in Germany and pricing will be on the same lines in multiple regions. It is similar to the price tag used by the company’s top of the line models, but it is a necessity in order to cope with the cost of producing an electric car, confirmed the development team.
Tesla is the only company that is ahead of everyone else at the moment but creating luxury cars is their primary drawback. They hardly cater to the budget crowd, which is where Ford, BMW, Chevrolet and others are catching up. Plug-in hybrids are the most preferred option because they allow them to keep costs low, but also introduce buyers to a whole new world of electric motors before convincing them to go totally electric.
Once the e-tron is ready and shipped, Audi will focus on the much powerful h-tron model. It is expected to deliver a top speed of 200 kilometers per hour and will use a 90 kW electric motor. Is Audi going in the right direction by ditching conventional models?
We will know when they talk more about it at the Geneva show.
