- Audi is launching a new EV sub-brand in China—and it doesn’t wear the company’s four-ring logo
- The new brand will be named AUDI! That’s not our being excited, it’s just “Audi” in all-caps, that’s the name
- Its first models may look like this handsome AUDI E Concept, a 764-hp “sportback” developed with SAIC
China is Audi’s largest single market, with sales exceeding 729,000 vehicles in 2023. Now, the German carmaker is set to expand its footprint in the region with the launch of a new automobile brand. Dubbed AUDI – yes, it’s just the carmaker’s name, only this time in all-caps – the new brand will work as Audi’s new EV sub-brand for the Chinese market, in collaboration with the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC).
In a move that seeks to differentiate AUDI from its parent brand and hopefully resonate with local buyers, the carmaker will be ditching its traditional four-ring logo. (It makes the decision to adopt the “AUDI” name for the new brand all the more puzzling.) Further, to commemorate this new EV chapter launch, Audi unveiled a new concept model called the AUDI E. The concept previews the possible design language of future production models that will wear the AUDI name in China.
Audi describes the AUDI E Concept as a “sportback” EV, measuring 4,870 mm (191.7 inches) long; 1,990 mm (78.3 inches) wide; and 1,460 mm (57.5 inches) tall, with a wheelbase of 2,950 mm (116.1 inches). For some context, it’s about the size of the ICE-powered Audi A5.
The AUDI E’s profile is characterized by slightly flared fenders and a roofline that slopes gently towards the rear. However, one of the most significant external changes immediately apparent is the absence of Audi’s four-ring logo at both ends of the car. In its place is bold, illuminated AUDI lettering, set in a dark loop to make it even more conspicuous. The black loop, adopted here in place of a more conventional grille, houses LED lighting elements and sensors for the vehicle’s Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems.
The interior of the AUDI E Concept boasts a simple layout that prominently features microfiber upholstery and illuminated wood accents. A massive curved display takes up most of the dashboard space. The 4K touchscreen seamlessly integrates the instrument cluster, infotainment system, and digital mirrors into a single display. The area below the display is taken up by a touch-sensitive bar called AUDI control and the housing for an AI-dependent AUDI assistant. Window switches and buttons on the steering wheel are the only other physical controls in an otherwise minimalist interior.
The foundation of the concept is a new “Advanced Digitized Platform,” the result of a collaborative effort between Audi and SAIC. Dual electric motors, one on each axle, provide a combined output of 764 hp and 590 lb-ft. It’s enough juice for serious on-road performance — a 3.6-second sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) for starters. The AUDI E also gets a 100-kWh battery pack that’s good for a 435-mile (700-km) range on a single charge, while its 800V architecture adds up to 230 miles (370 km) of range after just 10 minutes of charging.
The new AUDI brand plans to hit the market with an initial lineup of three production models, with the first sales planned for 2025. Details are still sketchy, but the vehicles are expected to compete in the mid-size and full-size segments.
It does present an intriguing scenario as the mainstream Audi brand already fields a growing line of EVs in China. They include models like the Q4 e-tron (in partnership with FAW); Q5 e-tron (SAIC); Q6 e-tron (SAIC); and the e-tron GT. The carmaker claims AUDI is a strategy to deliver a localized product riding on SAIC’s influence while benefiting from Audi’s tech and branding expertise. For now, there’s no telling if the Chinese market will align with that thought process.
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