Audi launches new AUDI electric sub-brand in China

Audi is launching a new EV sub-brand exclusively for China, ditching its iconic four-ring logo as it hunts for a younger audience.

The AUDI brand is the result of a partnership between the German car maker and SAIC – the Chinese group behind brands ranging from MG to Maxus.

The first model – a sleek ‘sportback’ model showcased by the AUDI E concept – is due to go on sale by mid-2025. It will be based on SAIC architecture rather than Audi’s globally available platforms and Audi says it will rely more on local technology and suppliers for the AUDI brand.

It will be joined by a saloon and SUV launching in 2026 and 2027 respectively.

Audi says that by marrying its technology knowledge and premium-car experience with SAIC manufacturing agility it has reduced the to-market time of the new models by 30%.

The concept car hints at the performance potential of the Advanced Digitised Platform, if not necessarily the finished specification. It features a 100kWh battery with a range of 435 miles under the lenient Chinese testing cycle. Thanks to 800V architecture, the AUDI E concept can add 230 miles of range in 10 minutes via ultra-rapid charging. It also uses a twin-motor powertrain to produce 764bhp and offer a 0-62mph time of just 3.6 seconds.

Premium European brands have previously sold well in China but domestic brands are increasingly outperforming them. In the first nine months of 2024, Audi sold 15,000 cars in China, while XPeng sold 150,000.

The new venture aims to attract younger, tech-hungry Chinese buyers and has a radically different design approach from Audi’s existing models. The familiar large grille and four-ring logo have been replaced with a more solid, single-piece front end with AUDI spelled out in full. The main body surfaces of the 4.87m-long car are smooth and there’s a heavy emphasis on showy LED light signatures. Inside, a massive single-piece digital display stretches across the dashboard and the doors are finished with a combination of illuminated wood and natural fibres.