Audi plug-in hybrid rumored to be coming in 2014

The 2011 Audi A4 sedan

(Credit: Audi)

Audi may have been slow to embrace hybrid technology, but it's not wasting time playing catch-up. The automaker is rumored to be producing a plug-in hybrid Audi A4 for the 2014 model year.

According to an article in Autobild.de, Audi plans to produce a bigger, yet lighter, A4 in 2014 with a rear-axle electric motor. The plug-in hybrid will have an electric range of 30 to 60 km (19 to 37 miles) before it switches to the gasoline engine. No specs on the engine options were mentioned in the article. Earlier this year, Audi introduced the 2011 Q5 Hybrid Quattro, which uses the 2-liter TFSI engine and achieves 33 mpg. The 2011 Audi A4 uses the same 211-hp engine and achieves 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway using a CVT transmission.

(Source: Autobild.de via CarAdvice.com.au)