Audi has seemingly postponed production of the all-electric Audi A4 e-tron to the first half of 2029. The reason, once again, appears to be issues with introducing the Volkswagen Group’s new SSP electric architecture.
First introduced in 1994, the Audi A4’s model history has confused some customers in recent years: Audi changed its naming convention, rebranding the latest-generation A4 as the A5 two years ago, at the expense of the discontinued coupé of the same name.
The reasoning at the time: combustion-engine models were to bear odd numbers, while electric models were to use even numbers. However, this distinction has already been abandoned in newer models, as seen with the current Audi A6 and Q6, both of which are available with various drivetrain types.
Now, both customers and the industry are eagerly awaiting the next A4, which will mean the A5 name for the combustion-engine version of the mid-size classic will once again be retired. Above all else, there will finally be an all-electric Audi A4 e-tron, for which Audi’s Head of Technical Development, Rouven Mohr, confirmed a 2028 market launch a few months ago.
Absent competitor
These plans have now apparently been revised; the German newspaper Handelsblatt reports that production of the Audi A4 e-tron will not begin until at least March 2029. Insiders quoted in the report expect an even later start in the year.
This means Audi will lack an all-electric competitor to the upcoming BMW i3 and the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz C-Class for up to three years.
The delay appears to stem from issues with the introduction of the already infamous Volkswagen Group’s new electric-vehicle architecture, the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), while Audi still uses the MEB platform for the Audi Q4 e-tron and the PPE platform for the Audi A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron.
Three-year delay for SSP
Volkswagen first mentioned developing the SSP in July 2021 under then-CEO Herbert Diess. At the time, it was said the first SSP-based model would hit the market as early as 2026. If the Audi A4 e-tron does indeed become the first vehicle based on SSP, the platform’s launch will have been delayed by around three years.
The SSP is designed to be highly versatile. According to a tech update for VW investors from September 2025, the electric modular system will, for example, support a system voltage of 400 volts for front-wheel-drive configurations and 800 volts for rear-wheel-drive configurations, with all-wheel drive also possible. In addition to all-electric drivetrains, the focus will be on LFP batteries, while range-extender vehicles are also possible.
Another key innovation of the SSP is its zonal E/E architecture. Instead of deploying a multitude of individual control units, functions will be organized more centrally through zone-based computers. VW explicitly links SSP with a unified software architecture and the development of software-defined vehicles. This is also where SSP and US partner Rivian’s technology converge.
Who gives technical direction?
Returning to the debut of the Audi A4 e-tron, which will be available as a saloon and an estate (called ‘Avant’ at Audi), according to Handelsblatt, the start of production has been delayed by technical issues, lengthy coordination processes within the Group, as well as cost-cutting pressure at Volkswagen, which is forcing the company to extend the use of existing vehicle platforms.
Internally, there has reportedly been a months-long debate about whether the Group needs a new Chief Technology Officer to set the direction for the new SSP architecture and other technical issues.
Less complex
According to the report, the SSP will now be significantly less complex than originally planned. Instead of the initially envisaged eight variants, the electric modular system will feature just four. At the same time, the proportion of shared components is expected to increase significantly, with orders already being placed with suppliers.
