Audi e-tron, followed by the e-tron GT

Audi aims to sell 800,000 fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids in the year 2025. (Reuters)

Audi aims to sell 800,000 fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids in the year 2025. At this week’s annual general meeting in Ingolstadt, Germany, the Board presented the updated “Audi.Vorsprung.2025.” strategy. “To enable every third customer to decide in favour of an e-model by the middle of the next decade, there is to be an electrified variant in each model series by then—most of them are to be fully electric, with a smaller proportion as plug-in hybrids,” the company announced in a statement issued to the media.

“Our ambition has always been and will continue to be Vorsprung durch Technik,” said Rupert Stadler, chairman of the Board of Management. “Our goal is to revolutionise mobility. In electric mobility, we want to become the number one among premium manufacturers—with full suitability for everyday use, no compromises, top quality and driving pleasure for the customer. With our technological excellence, we are utilising our Vorsprung and lifting electric mobility to the next level.”

Audi e-tron

The production version of Audi e-tron prototype is the first result of Roadmap E initiative, with which the premium brand will electrify its complete portfolio by 2025. This also includes investment in the German plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm as well as a commitment for job security until the end of 2025. The product fireworks, the company said, include more than 20 electrified models in rapid succession until 2025. In 2019, the Audi e-tron Sportback will be the second fully electric car to be launched, followed by the Audi e-tron GT from Audi Sport in 2020. The company will also offer an electric model in the premium compact segment in 2020.

For its Roadmap E, Audi is making use of two major VW synergy levers in the area of development. In addition to Modular Electric Toolkit developed by VW for compact segment, Audi and Porsche are working together to implement the premium-architecture electrification for mid-range, full-size and luxury-class electric cars.
The production version of the e-tron will be the first car that can be charged at rapid-charging stations with up to 150 kilowatts. This will make the electric SUV ready for the next long distance in just under 30 minutes. Its lithium-ion battery provides a range of more than 400 km in the WLTP (Worldwide harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure) driving cycle