In response to Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume, Audi lags behind its rivals, and software program is in charge. To rectify the state of affairs, the automaker will pace up the event of battery-electric automobiles (BEVs) for the luxurious model.
The boss commented on Audi’s place on Wednesday in the course of the firm’s Capital Markets Day. He stated, “We now have confronted extreme software program issues that delayed the launch of thrilling electrical merchandise,” reported Automotive Information Europe.
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VW Group’s software program points aren’t a secret. Final yr, two reviews surfaced highlighting the technical issues behind the scenes. One July report famous that the group’s software program division was struggling to develop the code for the automaker’s next-generation electrical automobiles. The difficulties might need delayed new merchandise from Audi, Porsche, and Bentley. In November, one other report alleged that VW must postpone the launch of Trinity till 2030 attributable to software program issues.
Blume famous that Audi’s lineup in China is not aggressive, which your complete group is “extremely depending on.” In response to ANE, Audi gross sales have been down 16 p.c in Q1 2023 in contrast with final yr. Nonetheless, many world automakers are struggling to compete in China, dropping market share over the previous few years.
Whereas Audi may be behind, it’s targeted on turning issues round. Subsequent yr, the corporate will launch the Q6 E-Tron, that includes the much-delayed 1.2 software program and using on VW Group’s Premium Platform Electrical (PPE) structure that underpins the brand new Porsche Macan EV. Audi will even introduce the brand new Scalable Techniques Platform (SSP) structure on time beginning in 2026.
The electrical Q6 will doubtless break cowl earlier than the tip of the yr. The automaker is already teasing the mannequin, which might supply as much as 600 horsepower within the scorching RS variant. The automaker might unlock potential with its sport-oriented fashions underneath the RS sub-brand. Blume stated that the corporate is already planning to supply a high-performance lineup of BEVs as its accelerates improvement.
Audi’s future is electrical, so being behind is not place. The automaker will launch its final ICE-powered automotive in 2025, with each new mannequin beginning in 2026 being purely electrical. Audi plans to finish world gasoline and diesel car manufacturing by 2033, though the corporate may proceed making combustion engines for China relying on the demand. The model’s future automobiles will even be extra pleasant and fewer aggressive of their design.