A major change is currently underway in the auto industry, fueled in part by Tesla and its outspoken CEO Elon Musk. The transition towards an all-electric vehicle future won't happen overnight but rather at least a decade. Combined with acknowledging climate change and the related and very strict government emissions standards, legacy carmakers like Audi are also making the change to EVs. Audi CEO Markus Duesmann, who recently took part in a panel discussion at the Climate Conference co-hosted by German publication Spiegel and BCG, and he didn't mince words.
"Climate change is caused by the fossil fuels we're extracting from the ground. That has to stop. We need a fossil-free society," he told the audience.
"E-cars are by far the most efficient technology in propelling us toward an electricity-based society. Plug-in hybrid technology bridges the gap, smoothing the transition to all-electric driving. As such, it still has a place for the next few years. That said, the goal to reach must be 100 percent e-cars. Only that means we're carbon neutral."
Bear in mind that Audi's switch over to a fully electrified lineup is still more than a decade out, but by 2025 it intends to offer 20 pure electric vehicles in its global lineup. Gasoline engine production is slated to conclude in 2033. Beginning in 2026, it'll only launch electrified vehicles.
The Audi e-tron GT, e-tron, and Q4 e-tron are currently the only fully-electric models on sale. The Q6 e-tron is not too far away and there's a pretty good chance Audi's next halo model, a successor to the R8, will also go fully electric. But it's not often when the CEO of a major luxury automaker whose customers often have deep pockets speaks so bluntly.
It was under Duesmann's watch when Audi began work about two years ago on its super-secret Project Artemis, which should result in a new production model come 2024. It's described as a "pioneering model" for Audi and the Volkswagen Group as a whole. Not only will it be fully electrified, but should also come equipped with the latest autonomous technology.