Audi cars at the 14th Shanghai Auto Show Photo: Courtesy of Audi

 
At the first Shanghai Auto Show in 1985, an imported car with the four-ring logo stood at the center of the Audi booth. It was the first time for many Chinese people to see a premium car. 

Three years later, the first Audi 100 rolled off the assembly line in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin Province, ushering in the beginning of China's domestic luxury car industry.

Now, as the biennial Shanghai Auto Show marks its 20th edition, Audi is making history once again with an electric-only booth concept in Shanghai for the first time, underscoring its commitment to China and aligning with the ­environmentally conscious "green" era. 

With its dedicated market strategy, Audi, together with its two local partners FAW and SAIC, wants to reshape premium mobility in China and is further intensifying its efforts to develop and offer market-specific products and services designed for the new all-electric premium car era in China.

"Around 2025 to 2026, the premium electric vehicle market will start to really develop, and an important turning point will begin," said Audi China President Dr Juergen Unser in an interview with the media during the auto show. "New premium models based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) pure electric platform will be manufactured by the Audi FAW NEV Company at Audi's first new production base in China dedicated to the production of premium pure electric vehicles in 2024 when the plant is put into operation. In 2025, we will go all out to capture the premium electric car market."

Audi brought its current e-tron lineup to Shanghai, including the imported Audi RS e-tron GT, the brand's first flagship high-performance all-electric model, the Audi Q4 e-tron, based on ­Volkswagen Group's electric MEB platform, and the Audi Q5 e-tron Roadjet. The Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept gives an outlook to its future intelligent connected vehicles based on the PPE platform, and the Audi urbansphere concept demonstrates its vision for future premium mobility for China. Co-created with Chinese customers, it was designed for Chinese megacities. 

At the center of its stand, the Four Rings is presenting its F1 show car with Audi launch livery in China for the first time. 

The biggest global product offensive in Audi's history ­begins in the second half of 2023. It will kick off with the Audi Q6 e-tron, its first premium pure electric model built on the PPE platform. Available first in China as an exclusive import model, it will later be locally produced. 

In late 2024 local production of PPE models in Audi A6 e-tron and Audi Q6 e-tron series models will begin in Changchun. 

Audi is taking a comprehensive approach to its electric transformation. Besides investing heavily in new BEV vehicles, it is also building a high-end brand ecosystem exclusively for Chinese ­users covering six dimensions, including charging services and in-vehicle entertainment.

The Four Rings is also strengthening its development capabilities in China in a new R&D Center which supports its efforts to establish additional research and production capacities in the country.

Audi AG CEO Markus Duesmann Photo: Courtesy of Audi

"At Audi, we are putting our Chinese customers at the heart of the business," said Audi AG CEO Markus Duesmann. "I am convinced that we have all it takes: great partners, a clear strategy, and a strong electric product lineup."