By 2026, automakers axing iconic models for the EV shift
Cars being discontinued by 2026 as automakers pivot to EVs
By 2026, automakers axing iconic models for the EV shift
Audi, BMW, Mercedes and more retire sedans and coupes by 2026 as lineups shift to EVs and SUVs. See the key models being discontinued and what is driving it.
2025-10-23T15:28:13+03:00
2025-10-23T15:28:13+03:00
2025-10-23T15:28:13+03:00
Global automakers are accelerating their pivot to electric cars, and by 2026 several familiar nameplates will quietly bow out. Audi is ending production of the A4 and A7 to clear the way for new electric versions, while the sporty S7 leaves the range alongside the remaining gasoline trims.BMW plans to drop the X4 and 8 Series, and will rethink its flagship XM by removing the V8 variant due to weak sales. Infiniti is shutting down the QX50 and QX55 crossovers, and Kia is saying goodbye to the Soul, handing its role to the more modern Seltos and K4. The pattern is hard to miss: lineups are being reshaped around what sells and what fits the electric roadmap.Mercedes-Benz will end the EQB and is likely to merge the coupe-style versions of the GLC and GLE into a single model. Also, according to SPEEDME.RU, production of the A-Class and B-Class will wrap up by the end of 2025. Lexus will keep the revered LC500 but discontinue the LC500h hybrid and the RC F coupe. Porsche is preparing to end the 718 Boxster and Cayman, with both set to reemerge as electric cars, while Volvo will remove the S60 and S90 sedans to focus squarely on crossovers. Each move reads like another step in a coordinated shift rather than isolated decisions.Even the Nissan Altima and Acura TLX are heading for the history books. The industry’s new course is clear: traditional sedans and coupes are giving ground to EVs and SUVs. For many brands, 2026 is shaping up as a line in the sand between the age of combustion and the era of full electrification—an inflection point that leaves little room for nostalgia.
2026 discontinuations, EV shift, Audi A4 A7 S7, BMW X4 8 Series XM, Infiniti QX50 QX55, Kia Soul, Mercedes EQB A/B-Class, Lexus LC500h RC F, Porsche 718, Volvo S60 S90, Nissan Altima, Acura TLX
2025
Michael Powers
news
Cars being discontinued by 2026 as automakers pivot to EVs
Audi, BMW, Mercedes and more retire sedans and coupes by 2026 as lineups shift to EVs and SUVs. See the key models being discontinued and what is driving it.
Michael Powers, Editor
Global automakers are accelerating their pivot to electric cars, and by 2026 several familiar nameplates will quietly bow out. Audi is ending production of the A4 and A7 to clear the way for new electric versions, while the sporty S7 leaves the range alongside the remaining gasoline trims.
BMW plans to drop the X4 and 8 Series, and will rethink its flagship XM by removing the V8 variant due to weak sales. Infiniti is shutting down the QX50 and QX55 crossovers, and Kia is saying goodbye to the Soul, handing its role to the more modern Seltos and K4. The pattern is hard to miss: lineups are being reshaped around what sells and what fits the electric roadmap.
Mercedes-Benz will end the EQB and is likely to merge the coupe-style versions of the GLC and GLE into a single model. Also, according to SPEEDME.RU, production of the A-Class and B-Class will wrap up by the end of 2025. Lexus will keep the revered LC500 but discontinue the LC500h hybrid and the RC F coupe. Porsche is preparing to end the 718 Boxster and Cayman, with both set to reemerge as electric cars, while Volvo will remove the S60 and S90 sedans to focus squarely on crossovers. Each move reads like another step in a coordinated shift rather than isolated decisions.
Even the Nissan Altima and Acura TLX are heading for the history books. The industry’s new course is clear: traditional sedans and coupes are giving ground to EVs and SUVs. For many brands, 2026 is shaping up as a line in the sand between the age of combustion and the era of full electrification—an inflection point that leaves little room for nostalgia.
