Volkswagen’s luxury vehicle subsidy Audi will deepen its partnership with China’s state-owned automaker SAIC for future generations of models under their co-owned new brand, with four to be launched in China in the coming years.
Building on the automakers’ long-standing partnership, the brands have entered into a strategic cooperation focusing on the full value chain for AUDI’s future models, encompassing R&D, with a dedicated AUDI Innovation & Technology Centre to be established in Shanghai.
Since Audi launched its electric vehicle brand in China named “AUDI” in 2024, the latter has built its presence in the world’s second-largest economy on the core ethos of “Best of Both Worlds” and the strengths of AUDI’s synergistic partnerships to attract new customer segments in China.
“The first generation of models began with the AUDI E5 Sportback in 2025 and will continue with the debut of the first SUV, the AUDI E7X, at Beijing Auto China 2026. The third model is set to launch in 2027. This new agreement will now further accelerate this momentum and expand the portfolio,” Audi said.
“Audi’s ambition is to remain a strong player in China through the ICV era. Our partnership with SAIC and our NEV brand AUDI has been instrumental, allowing us to connect with new customer groups and expand our product offerings to meet their evolving needs. Following the successful launch of AUDI and its first model, we are ready to take the next step: establishing a dedicated Innovation and Technology Centre in cooperation with our long-trusted partner SAIC to drive Vorsprung in China,” said Gernot Dollner, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG.
“The achievements of the past two years with AUDI powerfully demonstrate the strength of our partnership. Now, we are excited to move forward together, building on this foundation to jointly pursue innovation and leadership in the premium electric vehicle market,” remarked Jia Jianxu, President of SAIC Motor.
The Shanghai facility, led by AUDI, will focus on developing China-specific, intelligent electrification technologies and whole-vehicle development across the entire value chain of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs).
“By leveraging the new R&D Centre, AUDI aims to accelerate its journey to becoming a leading premium ICV brand in China that offers advanced technology and smart solutions. At the forefront will be AI-powered, immersive smart cabins and advanced driver assistance systems engineered specifically for China’s premium users,” the automaker noted.
The Audi-SAIC tie-up will jointly launch four all-new AUDI models on the next generation of the Advanced Digitised Platform (ADP), an architecture engineered for the future intelligent connected vehicles.
Fermin Soneira, CEO of the cooperation project between Audi and SAIC, said, “The extension of our agreement and the establishment of a dedicated Innovation and Technology Centre is a historic milestone for our brand. It paves the way for the next generation of AUDI’s intelligent connected vehicles in China.”
The industry consolidation comes amid the German automakers’ ongoing effort to deepen their production and development footprint in China, in order to combat the falling sales and cut-throat competition with local brands.
Audi and SAIC’s first model was brought to the market in 2025, the E5 Sportback, which has so far generated sales of around 10,000 vehicles. The car made up the lion’s share of Audi’s first-quarter electric vehicle sales in China. The next vehicle, AUDI E7X, will debut at the upcoming Auto China, embodying AUDI’s “no compromise” commitment with leading in-cabin digital experiences, a new benchmark for rear-seat comfort, and in-car entertainment tailored to Chinese customer preferences.