- New market-specific Audi models including the Q6L e-tron to debut on all-electric booth at the international auto show in Beijing
- Strategic insight into the brand’s activities on the Chinese market shared at Audi press conference and Volkswagen Group Night by Audi CEO
Gernot Döllner - The strategic importance of Chinese market to Audi is apparent through the local production of vehicles based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE)
Ahead of Auto China 2024 in Beijing, Audi is poised to showcase its strategy and all-electric portfolio for the world’s largest automotive market. With them, the brand with the four rings is strengthening the foundation for continued success in the country. Highlights at the booth include the world premiere of the Audi Q6L e-tron, set to be produced at the new Audi FAW NEV Company factory in Changchun. At Volkswagen’s Group Night and at an Audi press conference on opening day, Audi will also outline its further roadmap for the electric transformation of its offering in China.
Audi is set to make a bold statement with a number of new models when Auto China 2024 opens on April 25. The vehicles and variants showcased at the Audi booth highlight the company’s continued focus on serving the Chinese market’s specific requirements. The fact all vehicles on display will be fully electric also demonstrates that Audi remains committed to meeting the growing demand for new energy vehicles in China.
Volkswagen Group Night and Audi booth to feature world premieres
The exterior of the new Audi Q6L e-tron is set to be unveiled at the Volkswagen Group Night on April 24. The Q6L e-tron will be shown for the first time at Auto China from April 25 to May 4, as will the Q5 e-tron RS edition for the Chinese market. Additionally, the SQ6 will make its first appearance in the country.
The main press conference at the Audi booth will take place on April 25, 9.40 a.m., with Audi CEO Gernot Döllner as the main speaker alongside representatives from the company’s Chinese partners FAW and SAIC. The press day will also be attended by Johannes Roscheck, the new president of Audi China.
A strong commitment to the Chinese market
With the premiere of the Q6L e-tron, the largest model initiative in the history of Audi is kicking into gear in China. A clear commitment to localizing key models is an important part of the local approach “in China for China”. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner states: “The Chinese market is central to the transformation of the Audi brand into a leading global provider of premium electric mobility. With the opening of the new factory in Changchun, locally developed electric models, and state-of-the-art digital technology tailored to users’ requirements, we are putting our plan for continued success into action.”
Premium Platform Electric: key to more tailored models for China
The Q6L e-tron marks the arrival of the new PPE platform in China. Audi FAW NEV Company will start production of three PPE-based models of the Audi Q6 e-tron and Audi A6 e-tron families for the Chinese market before the end of 2024. Pre-series production at the new plant has already begun. The new facility, operated under the joint venture Audi FAW NEV Company Ltd., is situated in Changchun, the capital of northeastern China’s Jilin province. The production site will exclusively manufacture all-electric Audi vehicles for China and is the first Audi plant to exclusively do so. It is also a smart production site setting high standards in digitalization, efficiency, and sustainability.
Future-oriented portfolio and strategy
Beyond the new plant, Audi also has a clear electrification strategy for China. The brand offers a large and growing portfolio of battery-electric models in the country. In combination with a range of localized combustion-engine models, Audi is perfectly positioned to serve a broad and diverse customer base. Cooperation with two local partners enables the brand to leverage growth opportunities and further accelerate its electrification efforts.
The local Audi portfolio is designed to cater to the diverse requirements of the market. AUDI AG is represented in the world’s largest single market by the subsidiary Audi China in Beijing, the joint venture FAW-Volkswagen with headquarters in Changchun, SAIC Volkswagen in Shanghai, and the new production site in Changchun, operated under the joint venture Audi FAW NEV Company Ltd. As a result of the two-partner strategy implemented in 2021, Audi offers its largest model portfolio in China to date. Audi is also planning to develop new battery-electric models in an extended partnership with SAIC, thus consolidating the foundation for further success on the Chinese market.
