Audi has strengthened the production network with Q3 and A2 e-tron production coming to Ingolstadt.
Audi is accelerating the transformation of its international production network to enhance flexibility and competitiveness. As the company prepares for the next phase of its electrification strategy, the main plant in Ingolstadt is set to become a hub for integrated SUV production and new fully electric product lines.
Integrated Production of the Audi Q3
Beginning in mid-2026, Audi will launch the integrated production of the Audi Q3 at its Ingolstadt headquarters. This initiative is a collaborative effort with Audi Hungaria in Győr, where vehicle bodies will be manufactured before being transported by rail to Ingolstadt for painting and final assembly.
This partnership—a core element of a strategic agreement signed in March 2025—is designed to meet high global demand for SUVs while ensuring balanced capacity utilization across both sites. Siegfried Schmidtner, Ingolstadt Plant Manager, noted that the teams have established all necessary logistics processes in less than a year to support this close integration.
The End of an Era: Audi Q2 and A1 Wind Down
As Audi pivots toward larger premium segments and electric mobility, two long-standing compact models are reaching the end of their production cycles:
- Audi Q2: Production at the Ingolstadt site will conclude in April 2026. Since its 2016 debut, the compact SUV has seen 887,231 units delivered to customers.
- Audi A1: Production is also winding down at the Martorell site in Spain. Since its 2010 launch, Audi has delivered 1,389,658 units of the popular hatchback.
Accelerating Electrification: A2 e-tron and Beyond
The Ingolstadt plant is rapidly evolving into an electric mobility powerhouse. Following the successful launches of the Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron, the site is preparing for its next major milestones:
- Audi A2 e-tron: Preparations for the production of this fully electric model are well underway in Ingolstadt.
- New Electric Product Line: A third fully electric product line is scheduled to begin production at the main plant this fall 2026.
- Future Sports Model: At the Böllinger Höfe site, preparations are starting for a new electric sports model based on the Concept C show car, with production slated for 2027.
Neckarsulm: A Competence Center for AI and Digitalization
At Audi’s second German site in Neckarsulm, the company is nearing the completion of the largest ramp-up in the plant’s history, focusing on the revamped A5 and A6 model families.
Beyond vehicle assembly, Neckarsulm is being developed into a competence center for digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI). Leveraging its proximity to the Heilbronn Digital Ecosystem and the Innovation Park for Artificial Intelligence (IPAI), Audi is integrating advanced AI solutions directly into its production and corporate processes to ensure a future-ready manufacturing environment.
With a robust mix of internal-combustion, hybrid, and fully electric models, Audi continues to position its international sites for long-term global competitiveness through high-degree flexibility and tight-knit collaboration.
