Audi's Chinese EV surge

Premium German car-maker Audi will surge its electric and autonomous car development forward behind the relatively closed doors of China.

It has announced an expansion to its local car-making partner, FAW, and will build five new electric cars there within the next five years.

It will also build the long-wheelbase A6 e-tron plug-in hybrid in China and import the Q7 e-tron from Germany as part of a new 10-year strategic plan signed this week.

A response to the erosion of its Chinese market share by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the plan calls for a series of 500km-range battery-electric cars and SUVs to shore up its biggest single market, which took 591,554 Audis last year.

“We are starting the next phase of our joint growth path in China,” Audi’s sales boss Dietmar Voggenreiter said.

“China is the leading market worldwide for electric mobility. With our e-tron initiative, we want to create a compelling premium offer of products and services here.”

“More than ever, our partnership is focusing on profitable, sustainable growth.”

Audi has long been the leading premium car-maker in China but model surges have Mercedes-Benz and BMW running it down. China doesn’t sell diesel fuel domestically, so Audi’s negative fallout from the Dieselgate scandal has been minimal there.

“In the past 29 years, Audi and the FAW Group have written Chinese automotive history. Together we have established the premium market in China and have continuously advanced its development,” Audi boss Rupert Stadler said.

“Now we are once again setting a historic milestone by enhancing our successful partnership with a strong roadmap for the coming decade.”

The only current electrified Audi on sale in China is the fully imported A3 e-tron.

The two companies will also further autonomous-driving development as well as working together on digital development and financial services.