---
title: "Volkswagen Will Launch Its Last Gas-Powered Cars in 2026"
description: "Volkswagen has announced plans to stop developing gas-powered cars in 2026, shifting its focus to electric vehicles (EVs)."
date: "2018-12-05"
modified: "2018-12-05"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin.md"
url: "https://futurism.com/volkswagen-gas-powered-cars-2026"
categories:
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "electric vehicles"
  - "volkswagen"
---

# Volkswagen Will Launch Its Last Gas-Powered Cars in 2026

![Volkswagen has announced plans to stop developing gas-powered cars in 2026, shifting its focus to electric vehicles (EVs).](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/volkswagen-gas-powered-cars-2026.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Volkswagen\</em\>*

## Goodbye Gas-Guzzlers

One of the world’s largest carmakers is going all-in on electric vehicles.

According to a [*Reuters* story](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-combustion/volkswagen-says-last-generation-of-combustion-engines-to-be-launched-in-2026-idUSKBN1O32O6>), Volkswagen's strategy chief, Michael Jost, told attendees at the Handelsblatt automotive summit conference on Tuesday that the company will launch its last generation of gas-powered cars in 2026. After that, he said, it will focus on EVs.

## The Future's Electric

The announcement is one more sign of VW's commitment to cleaning up its environmental act.

In November 2017, it announced plans to [spend $40 billion](<https://futurism.com/volkswagen-pledged-spend-40-billion-electric-hybrid-cars.md>) on EVs and hybrids in the hopes of becoming the world leader in electric mobility by 2025. Currently, it sells just one all-electric vehicle, the [e-Golf](<https://www.vw.com/models/e-golf/section/masthead/>), but the company already has [several others](<https://www.vw.com/electric-concepts>) in the works, with plans to roll those vehicles out beginning in 2020.

## Clean Slate

Of course, perhaps no other automaker has as much need for a rebranding as "environmentally friendly" as VW — in 2015, officials caught the carmaker [cheating](<https://www.bbc.com/news/business-34324772>) on diesel-emissions tests, resulting in billions of dollars in fines and a landslide of negative press.

Still, even if VW's focus on clean transportation *is* part of some PR strategy, does it really matter? [Vehicle emissions](<https://futurism.com/state-suing-trump-vehicle-emissions.md>) are contributing to our climate woes, so if VW wants to be the company to take the lead in ridding the world of gas-powered cars, more (electric) power to them.

**READ MORE:** [Volkswagen Says Last Generation of Combustion Engines to Be Launched in 2026](<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-combustion/volkswagen-says-last-generation-of-combustion-engines-to-be-launched-in-2026-idUSKBN1O32O6>) \[*Reuters*\]

***More on Volkswagen: [Volkswagen Has Pledged to Spend $40 Billion on Electric and Hybrid Cars](<https://futurism.com/volkswagen-pledged-spend-40-billion-electric-hybrid-cars.md>)***

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)

## More

- [Volkswagen Has Pledged to Spend $40 Billion on Electric and Hybrid Cars](<https://futurism.com/volkswagen-pledged-spend-40-billion-electric-hybrid-cars.md>)
- [Volkswagen CEO Says It Will Soon Overtake Tesla in Electric Car Sales](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/vw-overtaking-tesla.md>)
- [Volkswagen Says It Lied to Reporters About Name Change](<https://futurism.com/volkswagen-lied-reporters-name-change.md>)
- [Volkswagen Will Convert Your Classic Beetle to Electric](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/volkswagen-convert-beetle-electric.md>)
- [Volkswagen’s First All-Electric CUV Is Fully Autonomous](<https://futurism.com/volkswagens-first-all-electric-cuv-is-fully-autonomous.md>)
- [Volkswagen Teases Their I.D. Brand’s First Fully Autonomous Car Concept](<https://futurism.com/volkswagen-i-d-brands-autonomous-car-concept.md>)
- [VW Just Said They’ll Have Electric Options for All Models by 2030](<https://futurism.com/vw-just-said-theyll-have-electric-options-for-all-models-by-2030.md>)
- [Volkswagen’s Futuristic ‘Lounge on Wheels’ Drives Itself](<https://futurism.com/volkswagens-futuristic-lounge-on-wheels-drives-itself.md>)