Audi e-tron Reveal Delayed Because Of Dieselgate

The reveal event was supposed to take place in Brussels in August but will now be held in the US at a later date.

August 30 was supposed to be the reveal day of Audi’s first ever EV, the e-tron, but the event has been delayed after company CEO Rupert Stadler’s arrest last week. The electric crossover was originally going to be revealed at a prestigious full-day event in Brussels where the e-tron will be built, but Audi has confirmed to Automotive News the event will now take place in the US at an unspecified date and location. In a statement, Audi said the delay was due to "organizational reasons."

Consequently, the delay probably means that Audi’s chief rival Mercedes-Benz will be the first German automaker to unveil a mass-produced Tesla-fighter, the EQC that will make its world debut in Stockholm on September 4. Despite delaying the crossover's debut, Audi told Automotive News the e-tron’s sales launch hasn’t been affected. The e-tron will have its market launch at the end of the year. Nothing has changed," an Audi spokeswoman said. The delay comes after Audi’s CEO was arrested and imprisoned last week without bail in Germany on suspicion he was interfering with their investigation into the ongoing diesel scandal.

Stadler is one of 20 former or current Audi employees currently under investigation. The e-tron will mark a major milestone for Audi as the company starts its all-electric onslaught. By 2025, Audi aims to deliver 800,000 electrified cars every year. To achieve this lofty goal, Audi will offer an electrified version of every vehicle in its lineup by 2025, most of which will be fully electric.