Audi announced it’s updated
electrification plans at the start of 2020. The agresive AUDI EV
strategy follows that of its parent company, Volkswagen. The plan, which
is funded through a €12 billion investment, targets a penetration of
40% of the comapny’s total vehicle sales by 2025. AUDI plans to have 30
plug-in electric models by 2025, of which 20 models will be pure
electric. By the end of 2020 AUDI will already have 5 pure elctric
models and 17 plug-in hybrid EVs in it’s portfolio. In the plan Plug-in
Hybrid EVs is toi be expanded to all market segments.
Audi teased its supercar concept, the Audi PB18 e-tron, named after the
event where it will be revealed on the 23rd of August 2018. This
years Pebble Beach Car Week in Monterey, California will be the host of
the PB18 which follows on the technology of the Audi R18 e-tron the
LeMans-series winner.
AUDI announced the new launch date of the long expected AUDI e-tron
pure electric SUV. The official launch will now take place on the 17th
of September in San Francisco, USA after the company had to cancel the
30 August launch in Brussels due to the arrest of its CEO. Buyers in the
USA will also be able to order the E-Tron online by paying a $1,000
refundable deposit. The AUDI e-tron is available from the company’s 303
dealers in the USA in Q1 2019. AUDI will also elaborate on its future
during the launch. The e-tron will be the first of three
battery-electric vehicles that Audi plans to debut by 2020, with nearly
30 percent of its customers in the U.S. anticipated to go electric by
2025.
In related news, VW/Audi and Canadian company Ballard Power this week
extended their long-term HyMotion contract to develop a small series
fuel cell Audi
by 2022. The value of the contract for the NASDAQ and Toronto SE listed
Ballard is estimated to be up to $100 million. The initial relationship
commenced with the signing of a four-year contract in March 2013 which
was extended for another two years to March 2019. Audi took over control
of the program in 2016. Fruits of the program in the form of a Golf
SportWagen HyMotion, Passat HyMotion, and Audi A7 Sportback h-tron
Quattro was presented at the LA and Detroit Auto Shows during the run of
the program.
AUDI announced that it would host the world premiere of the much anticipated Audi e-tron SUV
on the 30th of August this year at the Audi Summit in Brussels. The VW
company made the announcement to shareholders at its 129th Annual
General Meeting in Ingolstadt while explaining the company’s
transformation after the diesel gate fiasco. Audi’s Board of Management
informed shareholders that one of the objectives of its Action and
Transformation Plan is to sell 800,000 electrified vehicles per annum by
2025 from 20 electrified models. The company will expand its current
portfolio to include plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles in each
model range by 2025. Audi also aims to generate €1 billion through
providing digital services via the myAudi customer portal by the year
2025. The E-tron Quattro EV SUV will be the first to provide the
service whereby customers can book various functions online via
the service. The Audi Quattro will be equipped with a 150kW fast charge
system and have a range of 400km (250mi) in WLTP driving cycle. Not only
will the Quatro E-tron be a zero-emission vehicle, but it will also be
the first premium car to be produced in a certified CO2-neutral
high-volume production facility. AUDI plans to transform all its
production sites worldwide CO2 neutral by 2030.
The Management Board plans to invest €40
billion to support the company’s shift to e-mobility, self-driving, and
digitization to develop products such as the AUDI Aicon presented the
Frankfurt Auto Show in 2017. AUDI this week announced that the pilot
program for the AUDI AICON A-EV would commence in 2021. The second EV
following on the Quattro e-tron will be the Audi e-tron Sportback in
2019, followed by the Audi e-tron GT from Audi Sport and an electric
model in the premium compact segment in 2020. The premium VW brands,
Audi and Porsche, are working together to implement the
premium-architecture electrification for mid-range, full-size and
luxury-class electric cars.
Audi
unveiled the prototype for its first all-electric model at the Geneva
Motor Show, the Audi E-Tron Q6 SUV. Audi Chairman of the Board, Rupert
Stadler, said, “Audi sets an important milestone for the company’s
future with its first purely electrically powered model, in 2020 we will
have three all-electric vehicles in our product range, with a four-door
Gran Turismo – the production version of the Audi e-tron
Sportback concept – and a model in the compact segment joining the
sporty SUV. We will be launching more than 20 electric cars and plug-in
hybrids by 2025 – spread across all segments and concepts.”
During the launch of a jointly owned distribution company in China Audi and FAW announced that it intends to develop four EVs over the next five years.
Also, Audi and FAW will set up a company
for new mobility and digital services. “China is taking a pioneer role
in terms of digitization. In the future, we can respond to customer
requests with even more agility in this area and offer new digitization
concepts”, adds Wedler. Among other projects, the new mobility company
will take over the premium mobility service Audi on demand+ which was
launched in Beijing in September 2017.
Earlier the year we reported that unions at Audi approaching management asking to assemble electric vehicles at more of its plants. The unions feared job losses for those being left out of opportunities to gain skills should the technology overtake combustion vehicles. This week Reuters reported that the German automakers CEO, Rupert Stadler, responded to the request by employees by committing that EVs would be manufactured at all its plants across the globe, including Hungary and Mexico. The commitment is made as the company gears up to roll-out 20 EVs by 2025.
Audi showcased the progress it made thus far on autonomous technology from SAE Levels 3 to 5
at the Frankfurt Auto Show this week, through three vehicles with
autonomous capability. The Audi A8 with Traffic Jam Pilot, allowing full
autonomy on highways up to speeds of 60kmh (37.3mph). The Audi Aicon,
the German
automaker’s Vision vehicle for self-driving. The Aicon, pictured below,
has no pedals or steering wheel and is designed for purely electric
operation and should be able to cover distances between 700 and 800
kilometers (435.0 – 497.1 mi) on a single charge. The company
also introduced the Audi Elaine, an electric-powered SUV coupe that in a
few short years will make highly automated driving possible – at times
even without a driver on board.
Audi and German auto parts company, Schaeffler, partnered to develop a new powertrain for the ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport Formula E
Race Team. The partnership will be around the development for the next
three generations of the race car’s powertrain. The team has finished on
the podium for the past two seasons and is again lying second in the
third iteration of the ever-popular event.
Audi started testing Level 3 autonomous vehicles in New York. Audi calls the technology ‘Audi Highway Pilot’.
Two VW Group companies this week confirmed the production of exciting concept vehicles introduced recently.
Audi announced that it will start producing the Audi e-tron Sportback EV at its Brussels plant from 2019 while VW’s Chairman, Dr. Herbert Diess confirmed that it will produce a version of the of the I.D. Buzz unveiled last year. The I.D. Buzz will join the I.D. Crozz in production and compete with Tesla‘s expected Type II people carrier.
This week saw the announcement of four new EV models by Audi, DS Auto, Tata Motors and Hyundai. The four brands will release electrified versions of existing model ranges as they rush to enter the market.
Audi announced its intentions to launch an electrified version of the Q2 SUV for the Chinese market. The Q2 will compete with the BMW Brilliance X1 which is also specifically produced for the Chinese EV market.
VW sister companies, Audi and Porsche,
to accelerate their respective electric vehicle strategies, this week
announced that they would jointly develop a shared electric vehicle
platform allowing the automakers a faster route to electric, connected
and autonomous technology. The partnership will last til 2025. The German based VW Group‘s electric vehicle strategy is built on its MEB electric platform architecture, while Porsche targets the delivery of its first electric vehicle, the Mission E by 2020 and Audi, an electric SUV based on the e-Tron Quattro by 2018. Both vehicles will have various degrees of autonomy as part of its offering.
News from the
past week shows the that the pendulum is swinger quicker than expected
for electric vehicles. The results of two surveys in the UK
this week was a clear indication that demand for electric vehicles is
much more than most automakers anticipated. Google searches for the
electric vehicles has also surged by 127%. A survey by Venson Automotive Solutions shows that 85% of respondents from a survey in the UK
are now seriously considering buying an EV. Reading between the lines,
wattEV2Buy finds it significant that range is no longer the deterring
factor when prospective buyers are considering buying an EV. For long,
most respondents to such surveys cited range as overarching reason for
not buying an EV. In the Venson Survey, a lack of charging stations was
the biggest reason for prospective buyers to put off the buying
decision. In a separate survey by Carbuyer, 61% of respondents said they
would not buy diesel vehicles again because of “diesel gate,” the
spectacular “own goal” by big auto. Diesel sales were down 9% in the UK for the month of February while plug-in vehicles rose by 49%.
Most automakers
have caught on to the shift, but not aggressive enough, while others
are being forced to produce plug-in electric vehicles. Labor
organizations within Audi
have asked management to build more electric vehicles, as some of the
factory units fear missing out on the technology will lead to job
losses. Hyundai was forced by shareholders to shift focus on Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles to plug-in electric vehicles, while Daimler
has accelerated its massive $10 billion planned investment in EV’s. All
these turnarounds in strategy pale in comparison to that of Sergio
Marchionne, FIAT Chrysler‘s CEO, but more Hyundai, FIAT, and Daimler later in the post.
The 3rd event in the current series of the Formula-E electric vehicle street racing calendar held Buenos Aires Argentina ended yet again with a victorious Renault.eDams
team. The e.Dams driver, Swiss-born Sebastian Buemi clinched his 3rd
win of the series. The Brasilian Lucas Di Grassi’s 2nd position kept Audi’s ABT Schaeffler standings in the overall second position. The Chinese teams of Next EV and Techeeta were the only teams climbing the rankings, now lying 4th and 5th respectively. Newcomer Panasonic Jaguar has yet to score a single point in the 3rd season, with its drivers Evans and Carrol ending 18th and 19th.
A barrier to the electric vehicle sector has long been auto dealers and one reason why Tesla chose a direct selling model. Now Audi, a Volkswagen
company, and automaker who is also betting its future on electric
vehicles told dealers to get behind the technology. Auto dealers are
blocking the technology because less moving parts will lead to fewer
service calls, taking away annuity income. The President of Audi
America, in his keynote address to the National Automobile Dealers
Association, told the audience that the industry would be entirely
electric in 10 years and they have to change their business models to
remain relevant.
Tesla voted the consumers darling in the Consumer Reports Annual Owner Satisfaction Survey with 91% Tesla owners responded with a “Definitely yes” when asked if they will buy the brand again. Second with only 84% was Porsche. The bottom quartile included brands such as Jeep, Nissan, Fiat, and Volkswagen, which dropped eight places. The survey included over 300,000 vehicles. Can the States who is refusing Tesla’s direct selling model, naysayers, and auto dealers refusing to get behind electric vehicles please respond to this? For the complete list follow the link.
Audi China and FAW–Volkswagen this week announced that it entered into agreements with three Chinese internet technology companies, Alibaba,
Baidu, and Tencent respectively. The partners will deepen their
cooperation in the areas of data analysis, internet-vehicle platform
building, and intelligent urban transport. Audi aims to deepen its
digital footprint in China which has become the lead market for digital technologies.
Audi Electric Vehicles
AUDI set out the following three point plan to make it’s EV strategy profitable:
Audi Plug-in Hybrid Electric Models
Audi Concept EV Models
Audi Electric Car Strategy in the news
2018 Week 31 Audi teases the PB18 e-tron
2018 Week 30 Launch date of e-tron set
2018 Week 24 Audi continues investment in Fuel Cells
2018 Week 19 Audi EV release dates set
2018 Week 10 Q6 E-tron prototype unveiled.
2018 Week 10 Audi and FAW EV strategy
2017 Week 50 Audi Sport to bring pure EV by 2020
2017 Week 48 Audi to develop 2 electric SUVs
2017 Week 39 AUDI will produce EVs at all its plants
2017 Week 37 AUDI showcases self-driving progress at FAS
2017 Week 26 AUDI and Schaeffler partner on Formula E powertrain
2017 Week 25 Audi start testing self-driving in New York
2017 Week 25 Audi e-tron Sportback production date unveilled
2017 Week 24 New EVs announced
2017 Week 14 Audi and Porsche to Accelerate EV's through partnership
2017 Week 13 Audi staff pushing for more EVs
2017 Week 7 Audi comfortably retains its second position in the Formula E team standings
2017 Week 4 Audi calls on auto dealers to get their EV act together
2016 Week 51 Audi 3rd in Customer Survey
2016 Week 37 Connected vehicles
2016 Week 29 Strategy
2016 Week 25 Strategy
Top 5 EV News Week 32 2020
Top 5 EV News Week 32 2020 | Cadillac Lyriq unveiled. Yet another Chinese EV startup IPO. Three new EV models launched this week.
Top 5 EV News Week 31 2020
Top 5 EV News Week 31 2020 | Successful IPO for CHJ Auto, Kandi finally enters the USA, Mitsubishi pays the cost for failing EV strategy.
Top 5 EV News Week 30 2020
Top 5 EV News Week 30 2020 | Chengdu Auto Show, Hozon Neta IPO, VW invest in China, eVito Tourer for sale