Volkswagen and Audi want to extend production of internal combustion engines - Handelsblatt

The strategic plans of Volkswagen and Audi foresee a complete transition to electric vehicle sales in Europe by 2033. However, the market is developing more slowly than predicted a few years ago. In this regard, Volkswagen and Audi are considering extending the release of certain combustion engine models in Europe. This was reported by the newspaper Handelsblatt with reference to insiders. A formal decision on this issue may be taken in early March at the upcoming round of investment planning.

Here's What We Know

Audi has previously admitted that it remains "flexible" on the engine issue, according to CEO Gernot Döllner. And Volkswagen's head of technical development Kai Grünitz allowed the possibility of keeping the Golf Mk8 on sale until the middle of the next decade. That said, the all-electric Golf Mk9 is still expected by the late 2020s, so VW hasn't ruled out selling two generations of Golf at the same time for a few years.

It's conceivable that if VW and Audi decide to extend the production of internal combustion engine cars, this will affect sister models from other VW Group brands, notably Skoda and SEAT/Cupra. However, if the European Union sticks to its ambitious goal of forcing carmakers to sell only electric vehicles from 2035, the automotive conglomerate will have no choice but to comply.

Source: Handelsblatt