Strange as it may seem from the CEO of a company now embarking the electric car bandwagon, Audi's boss Rupert Stadler still seems apathetic at best about EVs.

Of course, the aim of any big business is to grow and make money, so perhaps Rupert is thinking of the lack of short-term financial gains to be had from commercializing EVs, but it still seems like an odd stance to take when you're busy showing off your stunning e-tron concepts to the world.

"We are still in the early phase with the electric vehicle, in terms of commercialization and whether the cars will be sold or leased, or will just be a collector's car... We should not overplay euphoria for electric vehicles."

Audi's e-tron range currently goes from the Audi A1 e-tron subcompact with its Wankel rotary range-extending engine, through the 2010 Audi e-tron Spyder concept, right up to the stunning R8 e-tron, an electric supercar rival for Mercedes-Benz' SLS E-Cell.

Why is the CEO being so cautious? "Our industry is in the middle of a system change and we still have a lot of challenges to solve," Stadler says, referring to the disruptive technology of electric and hybrid vehicles. Stadler sees hybrid vehicles as adopting the role of a bridge technology, allowing makers to learn more about battery tech with the eventual aim of dipping a toe into battery electric vehicles.

Either way, at AllCarsElectric we're excited about Audi's electric program even if their boss isn't! Are you excited about Audi's e-tron range? Tell us in the comments section below.

[Engadget]