5.822.000.000 € lost: the 900 km electric Audi A4 delayed by at least another year

14/11/2026 14:00

Updated to

14/11/2026 14:00

In recent weeks, two developments have kept Volkswagen Group executives, and by extension Audi’s, up at night. The first is the results for the third quarter of this German giant, which showed net losses of 5,822,000,000 €. The second is related to these millions in losses: the delay of the upcoming ID. Golf, whose release was scheduled for 2028 or 2029, will now be postponed by at least another year… until 2030.

But the electric Golf isn’t the only model affected by these 5,822,000,000 € in losses: the future electric Audi A4, which was supposed to have a range of 900 km, is also impacted. Until it arrives, Audi continues to sell its current electric equivalent, which we have already tested.

The Audi A4 electric is also delayed by another year

Due to the losses suffered by Volkswagen Group, efforts to reduce the complexity—and cost—of the company’s new 800 V platform for electric vehicles have forced adjustments to its planning, resulting in at least another year of delay, as reported from Germany a few weeks ago.

One of the first cars to adopt that new SSP platform was the new electric Golf, with another being the upcoming electric Audi A4. It is already known that the Audi A4 will draw design elements from the 2025 Audi Concept C prototype. Its direct competitors, such as the new BMW i3, are already on the market and offer a range of up to 900 kilometers.

The British publication Autocar reports that this delay has extended by at least another year, with the expected launch date shifting from 2028 to at least early 2029. They explain that the delay in the electric Audi A4 is not only due to a 5,822,000,000 euro reduction in the group’s budget but also due to other issues.

According to a “source within Audi,” they explain that the SSP platform, which was announced around 2021 as “fully electric, fully digital, and highly scalable,” was supposed to reach Volkswagen Group’s factories by 2026.

But this deadline keeps slipping further behind. This is mainly due to software issues faced by the Group’s Cariad division — issues that have even led VW to consider using the CEA platform developed in China alongside Xpeng, which is already used in that electric SUV priced at just 13,500 €.

Audi’s requirements for the new electric A4

Adding to the issues delaying the new Audi A4 electric vehicle—about which many media outlets already report it will match the BMW i3’s 900 km range—are several requirements from the manufacturer in Ingolstadt. Among them is a 48 V internal wiring system for the A4—instead of the usual 12 V—which would allow for more powerful motors and even weight savings; however, this increases development and engineering time.

Or, as reported by Autocar, Audi’s requirement that the new A4 have separate footwell spaces for passengers—rather than a completely flat floor typical of all electric vehicles. Meeting this requirement has forced Audi’s engineers to reconsider the exact location of the battery.