AUDI E SUV: Preview of the second model from the Chinese sub-brand
After several successful years on the Chinese market, Audi has recently had to cede more and more market share to stronger local manufacturers. The Ingolstadt-based company is now working with its joint venture partner, SAIC Motor, to develop special electric models that are fully tailored to the preferences and needs of local customers.
The sub-brand’s electric vehicles differ from those of the German umbrella brand not only in technical terms: instead of the classic four rings, only a simple AUDI logo adorns the front.
The E5 Sportback, the first member of the new model family, has been rolling off the production line in Shanghai since August. The electric hatchback sedan received over 10,000 orders in the first 30 minutes of pre-sales – a respectable success for the German premium brand.
The SUV is scheduled to hit the market in 2026
With the sub-brand’s second model, a trendy electric SUV, the VW subsidiary aims to continue its upward trend on the Chinese market. At the Auto Guangzhou trade fair, the manufacturer has now unveiled the corresponding concept car, which is intended to give a preview of the production model planned for 2026. The vehicle, simply called the ‘AUDI E SUV’, is 5.06 metres long, 2.04 metres wide and 1.79 metres high. The wheelbase is around three metres. This puts it in the luxury class.
Visually, the carmaker is building on the design line familiar from the AUDI E5 Sportback. The characteristic front grille with Matrix LED headlights and the square light graphics at the rear are also found on the SUV. Underneath the futuristic bodywork is an electric all-wheel drive system with one motor on each axle. Audi specifies the system output as 500 kW. This should enable the colossus to sprint from zero to 100 kph in around five seconds.
A 109 kWh battery is located in the underbody. For the E5, the car manufacturer is relying on NMC cell chemistry for the large battery, so it is to be expected that a similar approach will be taken for the SUV. According to the Chinese CLTC standard, this should be sufficient for a range of over 700 kilometres. Thanks to the 800-volt architecture, it should be possible to recharge enough power for 320 kilometres in ten minutes at DC charging stations.
Audi also states that the vehicle will be delivered with assistance systems specially tailored to the Chinese market, which are bundled in the AUDI 360 Driving Assist System package and are designed to ensure a high level of safety and relief for the driver in virtually all driving situations. However, the brand has not yet provided any details about its specific functions.
This article was first published by Elias Holdenried for electrive’s German edition.
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