- Audi’s latest idea has a well-known title—the Audi E—however a really completely different vibe.
- This electrical wagon is aimed toward profitable 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 straight at these customers.
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 largest market, whereas it faces intense Chinese language competitors again dwelling. It is staring down manufacturing unit closures and layoffs as prices mount. All of the whereas, China’s electrical auto business is powering ahead whereas different elements of the world enter “wait and see” mode.
However right now in Shanghai, Audi confirmed that it isn’t taking this case 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 Whereas that is definitely an odd branding choice that sort of jogs my memory of that outdated Marc Jacobs meme, the idea itself appears nice, the specs are spectacular and its mission is extraordinarily clear: get proper in China earlier than it is too late.
Picture 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 world CEO, Gernot Döllner, mentioned in a information launch. “The upcoming fashions are aimed toward a promising and concurrently demanding new buyer section. The cooperation will additional broaden the Audi portfolio of battery electrical automobiles in China and speed up the corporate’s transformation on the planet’s largest market.”
What is evident is that this electrical idea is by China and for Chinese language patrons. That is as a result of interesting to that group has turn out to be a persistent downside for the Western automakers who as soon as thought the world’s largest automobile market can be a sort of everlasting money cow. Currently, that hasn’t been the case. Homegrown Chinese language automakers haven’t solely dramatically superior in EV and battery tech, however additionally they know find out how to enchantment to the very explicit tastes and likes of Chinese language automobile house owners: no buttons, plenty of inside lighting, huge screens, tons of linked 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 not less than three new full-size and midsize EVs, all attending to market 30% sooner to match the lightning velocity of China’s different automakers.
Picture by: Audi
“The brand new joint program provides one of the best of two worlds in automotive growth. It combines the strengths of Audi with SAIC’s innovation velocity,” the automaker mentioned in a information launch. “Audi brings know-how in premium merchandise and design, general car growth, and engineering to the desk. SAIC provides 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 aspect of issues. It is just a little longer than an Audi Q6 E-Tron crossover, about as large and decrease and sleeker general. The grille is a radical departure from something Audi’s executed up to now, ditching the long-lasting four-ring brand for the title in all-caps. (I would additionally argue it appears a bit extra attention-grabbing than Audi’s present, overly fussy design language.)
Picture by: Audi
The specs are the place it actually shines. The idea automobile 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 appears like one thing from Xiaomi or Nio, however from Audi.
Picture by: Audi
And that is precisely the purpose. That is why Audi wished to crew up with SAIC within the first place. Whereas it is nonetheless ramping up fashionable EVs for patrons within the U.S. and Europe, to compete in China, it must play the identical recreation these opponents are taking part in proper now. I bear 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 option 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 option to get this tech to trickle down elsewhere, as a result of it undoubtedly appears to be in a special league.
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