To talk about the layout of high-end pure electric models, Audi is still half a beat slower.
Mercedes-Benz, which has taken the lead in launching the pure electric flagship sedan EQS, which is equivalent to the S-class, has brought it into the Chinese market, followed by the release of EQE, and also aimed at the mid-to-high-end camp. BMW did not show weakness and quickly introduced the new pure electric flagship iX into China. In Audi's current product lineup, there is no model that can compete with them, and according to the plan, Audi will not launch the same level of EQS models in China in the next few years.
But in the middle level of competition, Audi pays more attention.
It is reported that Audi FAW BJEV's new energy plant in Changchun will officially start construction in April and is expected to be completed in December 2024. When the electric models of Mercedes-Benz and BMW are still in the stage of small batch production, Audi has already started to build a factory, which is very enterprising. According to the announcement released by the online approval and supervision platform for investment projects in Jilin Province, the project has an investment of about 20.9 billion yuan, covers an area of 2.46 million square meters, and has a planned annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles, and will produce three pure electric vehicle models after completion.
Audi FAW BJEV's 60% stake will be held by Audi and Volkswagen Group, which will become Audi's first joint venture in China, which also means that Audi will vigorously enter China's mid-to-high-end new energy vehicle market.
According to previous news from Audi China, Audi FAW New Energy Plant will initially introduce a high-end electric vehicle platform - PPE (Premiun Platform Electric) to produce two pure electric SUVs Audi Q6L e-tron, Q6L e-tron Sportback and a pure electric sedan E6L Limousine. The Q6L e-tron is an extended version of the overseas version of the Q6 e-tron, and the E6L can be understood as the A6L of the electric era, but it is not oil to electricity.
Audi, or volkswagen group, has four pure electric platforms, MEB, MLB evo, PPE, J1.
MEB positioning entry-level, Volkswagen ID. series are currently from the platform. MLB evo is a hybrid oil-electric platform, based on which the audi e-tron has shown great strength, but in terms of origin, it is still not as good as PPE. The PPE platform is jointly developed by Audi and Porsche to meet the requirements of full-size and various luxury market segments, such as Audi is developing SUV, Sportback, Avant, Crossover and other different models based on the platform, the next generation of pure electric Porsche 718 models will also be produced by PPE, and even some Bentley and Lamborghini models may be PPE. The J1 platform is responsible for the production of high-performance models, such as the Audi e-tron GT.
The introduction of the PPE platform is critical for Audi. Because only the cars produced from the PPE platform run on the road in China, Audi has the confidence to fight in the future mid-to-high-end pure tram market. History is always strikingly similar, in 1999, Audi for the first time to produce A6L, creating a precedent for lengthening high-end cars, many years ahead of Mercedes-Benz BMW. In the field of fuel vehicles, the high-end market is Audi's strength, and Audi naturally wants to extend this advantage to the field of pure electricity.
According to the plan, by 2025, Audi will provide more than 20 pure electric models and 10 PHEV models worldwide, and electric vehicle sales will account for one-third of the brand's sales. As mentioned above, audi FAW BJEV plant will be completed at the end of 2024, and a large number of new pure electric models should be delivered to the Chinese market in 2025 to achieve Audi's goal in China. But before that, Audi is not just Taoguang, but urging another of its partners in China to quickly launch a new electric product.
Another partner, of course, is SAIC Audi, the new electric product, is SAIC Audi Q5 e-tron - A7L after SAIC Audi's second product, but also SAIC Audi's first electric product. A few days ago, the Q5 e-tron has been launched, a total of 2 kinds of power a total of 9 models, priced at 395,550-510,000 yuan.
The Q5 e-tron continues the family-style closed grille + large mouth design, with sharp headlights, the entire front face is full of momentum. The car offers two sets of front faces, and is available in monochrome and two-tone bodies. Viewed from the side, it gives a rounded and slender feel, with black trim at the lower part making it appear flatter. The tail is very simple, but the shape inside the through taillights is very layered.
The interior of the cabin is based on Audi's new digital cockpit concept, equipped with AR HUD, enhanced digital instrumentation, a new generation MMI system, full touch steering wheel and so on. In addition, it can be connected to the wearable device to turn on the vehicle, turn on the air conditioner, check the mileage, and book a charge. In terms of seat layout, the low-end configuration is 7 seats, and the high-end configuration is 6 seats.
In terms of power, 40 e-tron and 50 e-tron quattro, respectively. The former is a single-motor rear-drive, with a maximum horsepower of 204Ps, a maximum torque of 310N·m, and a CLTC cruising range of 560 km; the latter is a dual-motor four-wheel drive, with a maximum horsepower of 306 Ps, a maximum torque of 460 N·m, and a CLTC cruising range of 520 km.
As a pure electric medium-sized SUV created by the MEB platform, the SAIC Audi Q5 e-tron is not a pure electric version of the FAW Audi Q5L, they have no relationship, and even the body is not similar. The Q5 e-tron has a length, width and height of 4876/1860/1675mm and a wheelbase of 2965mm, which is close to the SAIC Volkswagen ID.6 X. The relationship between the Q5 e-tron and the ID.6 X is equivalent to the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf.
I really have to criticize the naming method of SAIC Audi - A7L is still homologous with the A7, or even higher configuration - Q5 e-tron uses the reputation of Q5 to confuse the public, and what is the difference between "Kang Shuaibo" and "Leibi" that appeared on the market before?
But then again, in the future Audi's new energy matrix, there will be Q4 e-tron, Q5 e-tron, Q6 e-tron, Q5 has always represented the middle grade, according to this logic to explain the name of SAIC Audi Q5 e-tron is reasonable, but we are in the transition stage of the fuel era and the pure electric era, the two sets of naming intertwined, easy to confuse.
From a larger perspective, Audi first took the lead with the MEB platform, and two years later the PPE platform caught up. At that time, the joint efforts of the two shares are expected to make Audi make great achievements in the domestic high-end pure electricity market.