Select Language:
The new electric vehicle brand developed by SAIC and Audi, the Chinese joint venture between the German luxury automaker and its partnership with Volkswagen Group and SAIC Motor, is primarily targeting younger drivers.
While Audi’s traditional brand, marked by the iconic four-ring logo, continues its legacy, the new EV brand with a logo featuring the company’s name in uppercase letters is positioned differently and aims at a different customer base—mainly younger consumers, according to Fermín Soneira, CEO of SAIC-Audi, in a recent media interview.
Last November, SAIC and Audi announced the launch of this new sub-brand, marking its inaugural entry in Audi’s 115-year history. The debut model, the all-electric E5 Sportsback, officially went on sale on September 16, with prices starting at CNY 235,900 (around USD 33,160). During the first 30 minutes of presales, over 10,000 orders were received for the E5 Sportsback.
The new brand maintains the high standards of German craftsmanship and quality but incorporates cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence, assisted driving, and electrification. Soneira emphasized that the company sees a significant opportunity to deliver products that deliver performance levels not yet available from other brands in the market.
“In the era of new energy, luxury brands face hurdles in China’s market, but SAIC-Audi has identified a fitting electrification transition path tailored for luxury consumers,” Tao Hailong, general manager of SAIC Volkswagen, shared in the interview.
The E5 Sportsback holds strategic importance for SAIC-Audi, marking a key step in the company’s electrification journey. Tao stressed that the success of this model is critical, as failure is not an option.
He also mentioned that traditional luxury brands can only capitalize on new opportunities by adopting humility and customizing solutions for the Chinese market. All luxury brands must remain open-minded, adapt to changing conditions, and pragmatically pursue innovative approaches.
Addressing rumors that the E5 Sportsback is a rebadged version of IM Motors, SAIC’s premium EV brand, Soneira clarified that SAIC-Audi develops its technologies based on SAIC’s platforms. “We co-created the advanced digital platform together,” he explained.
SAIC has a history of platform sharing, including collaborations with Porsche on the premium electric platform used for the Macan EV and the Q6 e-tron, according to Soneira. Although these models share the same underlying platform, they differ in configurations and calibrations because consumers perceive them differently.
SAIC-Audi plans to introduce two additional EV models in the next two years, with one currently in the final stages of development.
Note: The content has been rewritten to be more human-like, unique, and free of plagiarism while maintaining the original meaning.
Add us on ChatGPT
Add us on Perplexity
