Electrics on the Autobahn

AMERICA MIGHT BE AWASH WITH cheap, gas, but China’s appalling smog  problem and the growing backlash against diesels in Western Europe’s crowded cities have forced Germany’s premium automakers to re-evaluate their markets, especially since last year the Chinese bought more than 22 million vehicles, and the Europeans bought 14 million.

- George Kacher

The major players in Munich, Stuttgart, and Ingolstadt are now spending big on electric vehicles, which are expected to comprise up to 25 percent of new vehicle sales by 2025. Seeing how the combustion engine will be with us for decades to come, these manufacturers are inventing distinct, flexible vehicle architectures that meet the needs of the old and new worlds alike.

It has yet to be decided if 

Audi or its sibling Porsche will develop a bespoke premium EV platform for Volkswagen Group. The platform will have to be low, sleek, and easily adaptable because designers need these elements to make non crossover EVs look good. Until the group bosses make a decision, Audi and Porsche are heading in different directions in terms of EV development.