Audi's new range of electric cars developed in China for the local market will not use its traditional "four rings" logo.
One of the people familiar with the matter said Audi made the decision out of "brand image considerations." This also reflects that Audi's new electric cars use a vehicle architecture jointly developed with Chinese partner SAIC Motor and increased reliance on local Chinese suppliers and technology.
People familiar with the matter also revealed that Audi's new electric car series in China is codenamed "Purple". The concept car of this series will be released in November, and it plans to launch nine new models by 2030. It's unclear whether the models will have different badges or just use the "Audi" name on the car names, but Audi will explain the "brand story" of the series.
In addition, people familiar with the matter also said that Audi’s new series of electric vehicles will adopt the electronic and electrical architecture of SAIC’s high-end pure electric brand Zhiji, use batteries from CATL, and be equipped with advanced driving assistance from Momenta, a Chinese technology startup invested by SAIC. system (ADAS).
In response to the above reports, Audi refused to comment on the so-called "speculation"; while SAIC stated that these electric vehicles will be "real" Audis and have "pure" Audi genes.
It is reported that Audi electric vehicles currently sold in China include the Q4 e-tron produced with joint venture partner FAW, the Q5 e-tron SUV produced with SAIC, and the Q6 e-tron produced in cooperation with FAW to be launched later this year. tron will continue to use the "four rings" logo.
Chinese automakers are increasingly using tech-savvy electric vehicles to gain share in the domestic market, leading to falling sales for foreign automakers and forcing them to forge new partnerships in China.
In the first half of 2024, Audi sold less than 10,000 electric vehicles in China. In comparison, sales of Chinese high-end electric car brands NIO and JIKE are eight times that of Audi.
In May this year, Audi and SAIC said they would jointly develop an electric vehicle platform for the Chinese market to develop cars specifically for Chinese consumers, which would allow foreign automakers to grasp the latest features of electric vehicles and Chinese consumer preferences. , while still targeting the massive EV customer base.
However, cars developed for the Chinese market for local consumers are not expected to be initially exported to Europe or other markets. Yale Zhang, managing director of Shanghai-based consultancy Automotive Foresight, said automakers such as Audi and Volkswagen may conduct further research before introducing the models to other markets.
Post time: Aug-07-2024