Some auto manufacturers would be content simply with a share of the electric car pie – but Audi has made no secret of the fact that its ambitions run much further than that.
It has outlined plans to dominate the market by 2020 in the premium segment for both hybrid and electric vehicles. In order to reach this goal, it has plans to introduce a number of models in the next two years – there will be hybrid versions of the Audi A8 saloon car and the Q5 SUV in late 2011; a hybrid version of the Audi A6 in 2012; and a range of electric cars, which will include the battery powered Audi E-tron, which is also scheduled for a 2012 debut.
Speaking at a technical workshop at the company’s headquarters in Germany, Franciscus van Meel, the manager for Audi’s electric mobility strategy, commented that by 2020 “we want to be the leading premium seller of electric vehicles”. He also suggested the company will introduce a plug-in hybrid in 2014 and that sales of the Audi E-tron should reach a six figure volume by 2020.
To help it meet this goal, the company has opened a $90million, 150,690sq ft electric drive development and test centre in Ingolstadt, Germany. The plan is to hire 840 people.
