Audi aims to be the first German premium carmaker to offer customers a plug-in diesel hybrid engine, the company announced at an event in the Danish capital Copenhagen.
The next-generation Q7 off-roader, due in 2015, is likely to be the pioneer for the mix. It will feature a V6 engine with a combined power output of 374 horsepower and a range of at least 50 kilometres in electric-only modus.
The diesel hybrid will be unveiled at the end of this year.
Owners will be able to charge the lithium-ion battery pack using grid power.
Diesel hybrids have been seen from Peugeot, Citroen and Mercedes-Benz. Volvo was the first company to add a plug-in battery pack replenishable with household electricity in its V60 model.
Dubbed e.tron TD, Audi’s new diesel-electric combo is designed to be offered on a range of upmarket cars in the pipeline, all based on the company’s Modular Longitudinal Matrix (MLB) platform.