Audi is the only upscale automaker without a factory of its own in the US, and that is about to change. On Saturday, Audi announced plans for a new, $4 billion factory in Peach County, Georgia. US President Donald Trump could not resist making political hay out of the news, but then again, the joke may be on him. Audi’s plan for the US market reportedly includes plug-in hybrids with a battery range of range of 70-80 miles. So much for the war on EVs…
Plug-in hybrid EVs have fielded a fair share of criticism for only going halfway — or less — down the decarbonization trail. However, here in the US where long distance commutes are common, plug-in hybrids provide drivers with a gasoline-soaked security blanket that is difficult to shake. For those with less onerous driving schedules, the high cost of gas provides ample incentive to log as many miles on battery power as possible.
Regardless of driver habits in the US, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner is evidently among those anticipating that the US market will come around to full battery EVs eventually, following the lead of China and Europe. “In China, we see a complete transition to battery electric, and the same is true for Europe in a 10-year perspective,” Döllner told a group of reporters in August, including US News & World Report managing editor Alex Kwanten.
; we see for the next 10, 15 years still a dominance in combustion engine and hybrid drivetrains , and we will have to reflect that in our global portfolio,” Döllner added.
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