Jingguan car
Chengjiu Song / Text
The PPE luxury electric vehicle technology platform jointly created by Audi and Porsche is here, and this term that seems unfamiliar to ordinary consumers is the key to determining the competitiveness of Audi's next stage and even future global products. More intuitively, the Audi Q6 e-tron, the first electric vehicle born on the platform, made its world premiere, and on the eve of the Beijing Motor Show, its Chinese version, the Audi Q6L e-tron, also made its debut. The Audi Q6L e-tron has already started pre-production in Changchun, China, and will be delivered to customers from next year.
The production of state-of-the-art electric vehicles in China is another milestone for Audi in China. In the context of the rapid development of China's electric and intelligent vehicle market, the speed of investment in new technologies of multinational car companies determines the competitiveness index. A series of new electric smart cars, led by the Audi Q6L e-tron, are the biggest bargaining chips for Audi to compete in China's high-end electric vehicle market.
"The all-new Audi Q6L e-tron is based on the PPE luxury electric platform and is a new product designed specifically for the Chinese market. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner emphasized that the new Audi Q6L e-tron has many differentiating features compared to Audi's previous global serial products, which is a representative work of Audi based on global models and focusing on the needs of the Chinese market.
With the launch of the Audi Q6L e-tron, Audi has delivered three major messages: First, Audi's most advanced electric intelligent technology has been mass-produced, and the strongest product offensive in history is about to begin. Second, "tailor-made for the Chinese market" is the core strategy of Audi's smart electric vehicles, which fully caters to China's consumer trends through cooperation with local digital technology companies and a clear local R&D roadmap. Third, with the introduction of the latest technologies and new product series, Audi will reorganize the synergistic layout of Audi in the north and south.
The electrification of the Chinese automotive market has moved from the initial entry-level market to the high-end market, and Gordeno said that "customized products, in-depth local R&D capabilities, and a commitment to customer centricity" will be the key to Audi's continued strong position in the Chinese market.
New President of Audi China, Dr. Yinghan Luo Johannes Roscheck said that under a clear roadmap tailored to the Chinese market, Chinese consumers will see that the well-known Audi DNA of "Breakthrough Technology Inspires the Future" has a new core.
奥迪Q6L e-tron的技术含金量
This is the moment Audi has been waiting for for a long time. Since the start of construction of Audi FAW New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. (PPE plant) in June 2022, the production progress of PPE products has been in the media spotlight. At the Beijing Auto Show on April 25, the long-awaited Audi Q6L e-tron was unsurprisingly the most talked-about luxury brand electric vehicle.
"The new PPE luxury all-electric platform is an important milestone in Audi's accelerated transition to electrification," said Gaudno. He also emphasised that the Audi Q6L e-tron, which has been designed specifically for the Chinese market, is more local than Audi's previous global models: the extended wheelbase allows for a larger battery pack and has a better range than the overseas version of the Audi Q6 e-tron, the front face has been redesigned for the Chinese market for the first time, the four-ring logo has been illuminated for the first time, and it will also be equipped with new connectivity solutions developed specifically for the Chinese market, advanced driver assistance and parking assistance systems, and a China-specific digital assistant.
As the first PPE model to be put into production in China, the Audi Q6L e-tron has attracted much attention for its technical content. The Audi Q6L e-tron is based on the PPE platform + the new E3 1.2 electronic architecture, which is equipped with an 800-volt electrical architecture, a powerful electric motor, and an advanced battery and charging management system. The PPE platform is the cornerstone of Audi's comprehensive electrification portfolio, and the E3 1.2 electronic architecture is the foundation for Audi's digital and intelligent transformation to software-defined vehicles (SDVs).
Under Audi's definition, the PPE platform is labelled as a "technology cornerstone". The advantages of the platform are mainly reflected in three aspects: first, the PPE platform brings together forward-looking electric vehicle technologies, including 800V electrical architecture, powerful electric motors, advanced battery and charging management systems, and integrated digital and intelligent solutions. Secondly, the PPE platform is also the basis for Audi's product diversification due to its high degree of flexibility and ability to adapt to different chassis models. In addition, PPE comes from a strong technical collaboration within the Volkswagen Group, which will also cover different brands and different models, forming a scale effect.
It is worth noting that the PPE platform is an accelerator for Audi's electrification transition. With the launch of the platform, Audi announced the launch of its strongest global product offensive, with the goal of launching technologically leading all-electric models in all core market segments by 2027.
"Yes, Audi is embarking on the strongest product offensive in the history of the Four Rings brand, and we plan to introduce more than 20 models to the global market over the next two to two-and-a-half years, including even more outstanding all-electric models, new gasoline models and plug-in hybrid models. Gaudno revealed. As Audi's first all-electric plant in China, the PPE plant in Changchun will produce new models based on the Audi Q6L e-tron in addition to production.
"The core of the Audi brand is 'Breaking through technology for inspiring the future', and this has always been true. Of course, the core of the Audi brand will have different developments and presentations in different areas, such as forward-looking design, innovative high-voltage battery technology, combustion engine vehicle research and development technology, and electric drive system technology, etc., which are Audi's core strengths. Gaudno believes that a unique user experience and breakthrough technological innovation will be the key for Audi to maintain its leading position in the field of electric intelligent vehicles in the future.
Create a clear roadmap for China's exclusive electric vehicles
It is worth noting that the Audi Q6L e-tron is the result of a joint effort between Audi's design center in Beijing and the German R&D department.
In addition to the all-new Audi Q6L e-tron, the Audi Q5 e-tron RS Package Racing Edition and the Audi SQ6 e-tron made their Chinese debut at the Beijing Motor Show. It is clear that in the electric intelligent product spectrum, Audi is strengthening the concept of Chinese customization as never before, especially in the proportion of localization at the level of digital technology.
Audi emphasized that it will focus on "market-specific models" to meet the broad and diverse needs of Chinese consumers. On this basis, the layout and synergy between North and South Audi will also present a new situation. Among them, in the new energy company of Audi and FAW, the products on the PPE luxury pure electric platform will be put into production one after another. At the beginning of 2024, the new plant has successfully started pre-production, and by the end of this year, it will officially start mass production of PPE models, with an expected annual production capacity of 150,000 units.
At the same time, Audi will also expand its cooperation with SAIC Motor to jointly develop more intelligent and connected pure electric vehicles customized for Chinese users, covering new customer groups and market segments. Later this year, Audi will announce more details on the deepening of its cooperation with SAIC, as well as its continued efforts to strengthen its dual partnership strategy, according to Gordeno.
Driving the local R&D roadmap is an important part of Audi's clear plan for development in China, and it will be key to Audi's ability to respond quickly to Chinese consumers' demand for intelligent and connected vehicles.
In order to meet the needs of Chinese users for digitalization and intelligence, Audi is actively promoting the research and development of digital connectivity and advanced driver assistance technologies for the Chinese market. The Audi China R&D Center has more than 90% local R&D talent, focusing on the research and development of intelligent cockpits, user interfaces, digital connectivity, and advanced driver assistance systems. At the same time, Audi is actively cooperating with leading Chinese technology companies, among others, to enrich its connected solutions for the Chinese market.
In addition to relying on the cooperation of the Volkswagen Group, Audi will also look for its own partners to meet the needs of Chinese users for high-end intelligent and connected vehicles. Audi does not draw a certain line in the cooperation, but actively seeks and continuously improves and solidifies the relationship between the two sides. He believes that Audi already has excellent partners, a clear local plan, a strong product lineup, and all the ingredients to continue to lead and promote the development of the Chinese automotive market.
In addition, in response to the Chinese users' expectations for luxury electric vehicles, Audi is also tailoring high-end customer journeys for the Chinese market. For example, Audi and Porsche have announced a partnership with Porsche on the Premium Charging Network, which will allow Audi and Porsche users to use more than 900 charging stations in 50 cities from both brands for fast charging of up to 480 kW starting in the second half of 2024.
"2024 and 2025 will be a year of transformation for Audi, and we will have a lot of new models," said Gaudno, adding that Audi is optimistic about the prospects for China's high-end car market.
We believe that China's premium car market is very large and will continue to grow rapidly. ”