- Audi’s latest idea has a well-known title—the Audi E—however a really completely different vibe.
- This electrical wagon is geared toward successful again gross sales within the Chinese language market.
- It is a three way partnership with China’s SAIC and never solely boasts specs on par with a class-leading Chinese language EV, however is aimed immediately at these shoppers.
It is no secret that the Volkswagen Group has not had a tremendous time in 2024. It is struggled with slumping gross sales in China, as soon as its greatest market, whereas it faces intense Chinese language competitors again residence. It is staring down manufacturing unit closures and layoffs as prices mount. All of the whereas, China’s electrical auto trade is powering ahead whereas different elements of the world enter “wait and see” mode.
However at the moment in Shanghai, Audi confirmed that it isn’t taking this example mendacity down. Meet its newest idea and model: the Audi E Idea, from AUDI. Sure, all-caps “to sign each the connection to and differentiation from the sister model,” which on this case would merely be Audi. Whereas that is definitely an odd branding choice that sort of jogs my memory of that outdated Marc Jacobs meme, the idea itself seems nice, the specs are spectacular and its mission is extraordinarily clear: get proper in China earlier than it is too late.
Photograph by: Audi
“By launching this new model for electrical and clever fashions in China, Audi is breaking new floor to faucet into new and extra tech-savvy buyer segments,” Audi’s international CEO, Gernot Döllner, mentioned in a information launch. “The upcoming fashions are geared toward a promising and concurrently demanding new buyer phase. The cooperation will additional increase the Audi portfolio of battery electrical autos in China and speed up the corporate’s transformation on the planet’s largest market.”
What is obvious is that this electrical idea is by China and for Chinese language consumers. That is as a result of interesting to that group has turn into a persistent drawback for the Western automakers who as soon as thought the world’s largest automotive market can be a sort of everlasting money cow. Recently, that hasn’t been the case. Homegrown Chinese language automakers haven’t solely dramatically superior in EV and battery tech, however additionally they know easy methods to enchantment to the very specific tastes and likes of Chinese language automotive homeowners: no buttons, a lot of inside lighting, huge screens, tons of related tech and comfort options and extra.
It is no marvel then that Audi partnered with China’s SAIC for this one, which additionally contains a wholly new electrical platform known as the Superior Digitized Platform. That ought to spawn at the very least three new full-size and midsize EVs, all attending to market 30% sooner to match the lightning pace of China’s different automakers.
Photograph by: Audi
“The brand new joint program affords the perfect of two worlds in automotive improvement. It combines the strengths of Audi with SAIC’s innovation pace,” the automaker mentioned in a information launch. “Audi brings know-how in premium merchandise and design, general car improvement, and engineering to the desk. SAIC affords quick improvements, a well-established know-how ecosystem, and deep perception into the native market’s calls for.”
And the Audi E Idea is on the full-size facet of issues. It is a bit of longer than an Audi Q6 E-Tron crossover, about as extensive and decrease and sleeker general. The grille is a radical departure from something Audi’s achieved previously, ditching the enduring four-ring brand for the title in all-caps. (I would additionally argue it seems a bit extra fascinating than Audi’s present, overly fussy design language.)
Photograph by: Audi
The specs are the place it actually shines. The idea automotive has a 100 kWh battery and dual-motor all-wheel-drive estimated at 700 km (435 miles) of electrical vary on China’s beneficiant CLTC testing cycle. It has an 800-volt structure and might supposedly add a staggering 230 miles of vary in 10 minutes. It is fast, too, with 764 horsepower and a zero to 60 mph time of three.6 seconds.
On the within, drivers and passengers get a “pillar-to-pillar” 4K curved show, digital mirrors, only a few buttons and an “AUDI OS” software program setup with facial recognition, an AI digital assistant and different customizable tech options. Briefly, it looks like one thing from Xiaomi or Nio, however from Audi.
Photograph by: Audi
And that is precisely the purpose. That is why Audi wished to workforce up with SAIC within the first place. Whereas it is nonetheless ramping up fashionable EVs for purchasers within the U.S. and Europe, to compete in China, it must play the identical recreation these opponents are enjoying proper now. I keep in mind a time when a China-specific mannequin would imply cringey dragon graphics and issues like that; now, the automakers are catching up after getting leapfrogged on know-how.
Will these Audi E fashions make their strategy to Europe and the U.S.? Given the present backlash with tariffs and crackdowns on software program, I discover the latter particularly unlikely. However I want Audi would discover some strategy to get this tech to trickle down elsewhere, as a result of it undoubtedly appears to be in a unique league.
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