Compared with Mercedes-Benz launching EQS and BMW releasing iX, Audi's "action" in the flagship electric vehicle market is not obvious, and even the products that compete with the former two have not yet been launched. However, Audi attaches great importance to the field of mid-to-high-end electric vehicles, not only releasing a number of new models, but also establishing a factory specializing in the production of mid- and high-end models in China.
Recently, Audi FAW's new energy plant construction project in Changchun was officially finalized. Unlike other Audi plants in China, the plant only produces new energy models and is a model from the PPE platform. Why is Audi building another factory in China, because the other two joint ventures do not have the ability to produce mid-to-high-end models? What models will the plant produce? How will these models be positioned?
There are too many questions about Audi FAW, PPE platform, new plants, etc. Especially after the release of the joint venture stock ratio, everyone wants to know how Audi FAW, which drank the "head soup" first, should take every step well, and we may as well uncover the mystery one by one.
The "helmsman" Audi, with PPE as the sail, controls the development direction in China
The establishment of Audi FAW's "independent portal" is not that the other two joint venture companies do not have the ability to produce high-end electric vehicle models, but that Audi hopes to make a clearer positioning distinction between the three joint venture brands and hopes to have a higher voice in the joint venture relationship.
Volkswagen currently has a total of MEB, MLB evo, PPE, J1 four pure electric vehicle manufacturing platforms from low to high, of which SAIC Audi Q5 e-tron and Volkswagen ID.6 are based on MEB; the MLB platform for oil-electric hybrid has given birth to Audi e-tron; the PPE platform is jointly developed by Audi and Porsche to meet the research and development of a variety of size models, Audi will build a number of new cars including Q6L e-tron on the platform, and Porsche Macan The EV and the next-generation 718 will also be built on this basis. The J1 platform is responsible for the production of high-performance models such as the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron GT.
From the relationship between the production platform, it is not difficult to see the relationship between Audi FAW and other Audi joint venture brands, Audi FAW will produce more advanced models than FAW-Volkswagen Audi and SAIC Audi to enhance the brand's influence and revenue capabilities in the electric vehicle market. At the same time, compared with the relationship between FAW-Volkswagen Audi and SAIC Audi, Audi has a higher voice in Audi FAW, and Audi and Volkswagen China occupy 60% of the equity of Audi FAW, which will be more conducive to Audi's decision-making and promotion of development in China.
According to the previous plan, Audi will launch more than 20 pure electric models and 10 PHEV models to the global market in 2025, and electric vehicle sales will account for one-third of the brand's sales. It is understood that Audi FAW's plant in Changchun has invested about 20.9 billion yuan, covers an area of 2.46 million square meters, and plans to have an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles, which will start construction in April this year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. Therefore, the completion of Audi FAW's new energy plant on schedule plays a vital role in Audi's layout of the global new energy vehicle market.
In addition to the factors of deregulating the share ratio and improving the layout of the global new energy market, the continuous increase in the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China is also an important reason for Audi to continuously increase its size in the Chinese market. At present, the global penetration rate of new energy vehicles is 7%, 13% in Europe overall, 22% in Germany, 4% in the United States, and 12% in the mainland.
This shows that the mainland new energy vehicles have a relatively good development foundation, and the penetration rate still has a lot of room for improvement, while there is also a market environment and policy environment advantages to support, for many car companies have a great attraction, deep ploughing in the Chinese market for many years Audi is well aware of this reason.
The three new vehicles are advancing simultaneously to accelerate the electrification layout
If Audi FAW wants to get another piece of the competitive Chinese new energy vehicle market, it must come up with products that are strong enough to gain consumer recognition. After the completion of the Audi FAW BJEV plant, it will put into production two SUV models, the Q6L e-tron and Q6L e-tron Sportback, and a medium- and large pure electric sedan E6L Limousine.
It is not difficult to understand that the Q6L e-tron is the extended version of the overseas version of the Q6 e-tron. In the era of fuel vehicles, Audi has created a precedent for luxury cars to extend the wheelbase in China, and in the era of electric vehicles, even if it is an electric model based on an exclusive platform, this "traditional" operation cannot be lost.
The Q6L e-tron is in the same class as the Porsche Macan EV, positioned higher than the Q4 e-tron, and will be available in single and dual motor four-wheel drive versions. The Q6L e-tron Sportback is a coupe version derived from the Q6L e-tron, and the sneakback design is the biggest product feature of the model, with better visual effects. In addition, the Q6L e-tron model will also introduce a new energy-enhanced version of the "RS" performance.
The E6L Limousine, on the other hand, can be seen as an electrified era A6L, but it is not an "oil-to-electricity" model. The E6L Limousine will be available in three power configurations, with an entry-level battery pack of 83kWh, rear-wheel drive, a range of 550km, and 0-100km/h acceleration of 7.6 seconds. The more advanced version with a 100kWh battery pack will provide both rear-drive and four-wheel drive models, with a cruising range of 600km, a rear-drive model with 0-100km/h acceleration of 6.5 seconds, a four-wheel drive model of 0-100km/h acceleration of 5.7 seconds, and a fast charge time of 5%-80% of less than 25 minutes.
Seeing this, some friends may wonder whether Audi FAW's Q6L e-tron and SAIC Audi's Q6 are subordinate? No, the two have no intersection in essence except for the same Audi model and "Q6". Saic's Audi Q6 is a fuel model based on the MQB platform, which can be simply regarded as an Audi version of Tuon. The Audi FAW Q6L e-tron is based on the overseas version of the Q6 e-tron.
In the era of alternating fuel vehicles and pure electric vehicles, the overlap in model naming is indeed easy to confuse the public, but Audi may hope to use the reputation of star fuel models to illuminate the future of new electric models, and also hopes that the names of star models can be continued in the era of electric vehicles and play a complementary role.
As the earliest luxury brand to enter China, Audi is well versed in the development rules of China's automobile market, when the wave of electrification comes, it takes the lead in comprehensively laying out the market, starting with the MLB evo platform, laying the height and status of the brand in the electric market; continuing to deepen the sinking market with the MEB platform, consolidating the user base, expanding the market share; and then increasing the profits and enhancing the competitiveness of the brand through the PPE platform; and setting the J1 platform model as a totem to enhance the brand appeal.
Although Audi FAW has painted a wonderful vision for electrification through its new energy plant and PPE platform, it is still nearly three years away from official production. During this period, the MEB platform and the MLB evo platform remain an important protection and weapon for Audi to resist the impact of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Tesla, and even the brand of new Chinese forces.