Volkswagen‘s strategy chief stated on Tuesday the German automaker’s core brand is going to develop its final generation of vehicles utilizing combustion engine technology in 2026.
Volkswagen made a strategy shift toward battery-driven vehicles following diesel-emissions cheating scandal in 2015, which forced the automaker to pay over 27 billion euros in fines.
“In the year 2026 will be the last product start on a combustion engine platform,” Michael Jost informed the Handelsblatt automotive summit conference at Volkswagen’s headquarters located in Wolfsburg, Germany.
A spokesman confirmed Jost’s statements meant that Volkswagen, Europe and China’s best selling passenger car brand, will concentrate on electric cars instead.
Volkswagen will continue to adapt its petrol and diesel engined vehicles to meet environmental standards during the lifetime of those vehicles, however the automaker is now committed to steps to stop global warming, Jost stated.
As a way to satisfy the goals of the Paris climate accord, Volkswagen has modified its car development benchmarks to consist the target of radically cutting levels of carbon dioxide pollution in production as well, Jost stated.