Audi's electric dreams fade as BMW electrifies the market
9:39 AM EDT, July 11, 2024
According to an official press release, Audi is considering ending the production of the electric Q8 e-tron model and is contemplating what to do with the Brussels factory. Mercedes is also cautious about the development of e-mobility. BMW? The situation there is entirely different.
If these were just rumors, they could be dismissed as a curiosity. However, an official Audi press release mentions a significant global decline in orders for luxury electric vehicles. Officially, the drop in orders is due to introducing new models on the PPE platform. So far, only one has been shown: the Q6 e-tron. It's worth noting the marketing balancing act.
The decline in popularity poses a problem for the factory in Brussels, located close to the center, with high logistical costs. Audi is considering restructuring the assembly lines but does not rule out completely closing or selling the facility. Automotive News Europe reports that the Volkswagen Group had not closed a facility since 1988 when the Westmoreland plant in Pennsylvania was shut down.
Exciting information also comes from Mercedes, which will not increase battery production. "We are relatively flexible. We will think about next steps when we have more transparency on demand. This is enough to cover the next stage," said Markus Schafer, head of technology development. Meanwhile, Mercedes' managing director, Ola Kallenius, admitted in February that the company will do everything to ensure the competitiveness of its internal combustion engines. These engines were supposed to become obsolete.
The situation at BMW, on the other hand, looks promising. Since the beginning of the year, 107,933 electric vehicles have been delivered, marking a 22% increase. Mercedes, in contrast, offered only 45,000 electric cars, a 25% decrease. BMW owes this success to a broad model offensive, such as the iX1 model. Perhaps this success is influenced by electric vehicles being almost indistinguishable from their combustion engine counterparts on the outside.
