Audi will begin culling internal combustion-powered vehicles from its lineup this year with the sunsetting of its low-volume sport coupes, the TT and R8, while it continues to expand its electric vehicle offerings as the premium brand transitions to an EV-exclusive lineup by 2033.
Audi, part of Volkswagen Group, says it will end development of new gasoline engines in 2026. That means most of its popular combustion vehicles should have at least one more product cycle left before they are replaced with battery-powered alternatives.
To delineate between powertrains, Audi is temporarily altering its alphanumeric model naming system. It will keep the A prefix for sedans and Q for crossovers, but future electric models will adopt even numbers, while combustion models remain with odd numbers. The switch is expected to take place gradually as vehicles are redesigned.
The brand will expand the EVs on its PPE architecture, which will slowly merge with other platforms into a unified EV platform across the group.
Q8 E-tron: The Q8 E-tron, the rebadged successor of the original E-tron, was reworked in 2023 and will be due for a reengineering in 2027. An SQ8 E-tron derivative will arrive in the fourth quarter of this year.
Q6 E-tron: The midsize electric crossover will debut Volkswagen Group’s next-generation PPE platform, which Audi shares with Porsche, in the second half of 2024. The Q6 E-tron is roughly the same size as the brand’s popular Q5 crossover. Audi says the platform is scalable in terms of both vehicle and battery size.
Q4 E-tron: The compact electric crossover, built on the same MEB platform as the VW ID4, debuted in 2022, along with a sportback model, and will be due for a freshening in 2026, given the brand’s traditional product cycle.
A8 E-tron: The A8 E-tron, based on the brand’s Grandsphere concept, would join the lineup in 2027 on a platform being co-developed with Porsche. It will debut the brand’s first Level 4-capable automated driving system and is expected to pick up several features from the brand’s other “Sphere” concept vehicles.
A6 E-tron: The midsize electric sedan will debut in 2025 and carry the A6 family nameplate on the PPE platform. The current combustion-powered A6 sedan is expected to live on as an A7.
A4 E-tron: Audi will build a compact electric sedan to eventually replace the current A4 at least in Europe, but its future in the U.S. is unclear given the trajectory of small sedans overall. If Audi opts to sell it here, it will be in 2026. The combustion-powered A4 will live on as an A5.
E-tron GT: The E-tron GT, a sportback sedan developed alongside the Porsche Taycan, joined the Audi lineup in the U.S. in 2021. The high-powered EV will be due for a midcycle freshening in 2025.
Q9: The Q9, a larger three-row crossover than the Q7, remains in development in Ingolstadt, Germany, and would be the last new combustion vehicle Audi adds to the lineup, in 2026. It is designed for both the U.S. and China. U.S. dealers say they’ve been told it’s coming, but the brand hasn’t provided confirmation.
Q8: The combustion-powered two-row sportback crossover will be freshened in the first half of 2024 with a 12-volt mild-hybrid system to improve fuel economy, as well as driver-assistance and infotainment improvements. It will be redesigned in 2026, along with the three-row Q7, when it will drop its current name and live on as a Q7 derivative.
Q7: Audi’s three-row combustion-powered crossover will be freshened in the first half of 2024, when it will get a mild-hybrid system and driver-assistance and other safety upgrades, as well as the brand’s latest infotainment offerings. A redesign will occur in 2026, when the current Q8 will join the Q7 family.
Q5: The Q5 combustion-powered crossover is due for a final redesign in 2025, which would take its life cycle to 2033, given the brand’s traditional product cadence.
Q3: A redesign of the combustion-powered compact crossover has slipped to 2025 and will likely include the addition of a mild-hybrid system.
A8: Freshened in 2022, the current combustion-powered A8 will be replaced in 2027 by the A8 E-tron.
A7: Audi’s fastback combustion-powered sedan is expected to be freshened in 2025.
A6: The midsize sedan was last freshened in 2022. It will become a derivative of the A7 in 2025.
A5: The A5 will be redesigned in 2025. The update is expected to include improved infotainment and Audi’s latest digital cockpit as well as added safety and driver-assistance features.
A4: The A4 family of combustion-powered sedans and derivatives will join the A5 family in 2025.
A3: The sedan will be due for a freshening in 2025.
R8: Production of Audi’s V-10 supercar will end in 2023.
TT: Production of the two-seat compact sports coupe will end in 2023.