The exhibit booth for Audi attracts a large crowd of visitors at the Beijing auto show on Monday. Photos Provided to China Daily
Zero-emissions cars, plug-in hybrids top carmaker's priorities
German premium carmaker Audi AG has vowed to bring more new products and forward-looking technologies to meet China's evolving demands and maintain its three-decade leadership in the country's luxury car market.
Speaking at the Beijing auto show on Monday, Rupert Stadler, the company's chairman, said major individual mobility issues are "highly relevant" for China.
Stadler explained that the most important issues are "shaping mobility in the cities of tomorrow with urban solutions, contributing to a better environment with zero-emissions cars, giving our fans the precious gift of extra time with piloted driving, and creating a digital customer journey, in the car and beyond".
"Market slowdown really has no impact on us in terms of investment in China," he said. "We will have more investment and extend our product portfolio in China."
He said Audi will provide the A6L e-tron plug-in hybrid sedan exclusively for China by the end of this year.
The A6L e-tron, co-developed by Audi and FAW Volkswagen, will be manufactured at the Sino-German joint venture's plant in Changchun, Jilin province. It is the latest demonstration of Audi's strong cooperation with partners in China. The A6L e-tron features a 2.0-liter TFSI petrol engine and an electric motor. It consumes only 2.2 liters of gasoline per 100 km and accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds.
Stadler said Audi will also roll out the Q7 e-tron plug-in hybrid SUV in China in 2017.
"By 2018, our new all-electric SUV will be ready for production," he added.
Audi and FAW Volkswagen are displaying more than 20 new models during the Beijing motor show with three - the new A4L, TT RS Coupe and Q3 Connected Mobility Concept - making their global premieres.
Audi is the first foreign premium carmaker with nearly three decades of vehicle production experience in China. FAW Volkswagen produces the Audi A6L, A4L and A3 cars as well as the Q5 and Q3 SUVs.
"We are leading the Chinese market in volume, the number of localized cars and of course technology," Stadler said.
Audi's sales in China grew by 4.9 percent year-on-year to 138,940 units through the first quarter of this year, almost one-third of its global deliveries.
In March, the company sold 50,986 cars in China, up 5.4 percent from the same month a year ago.
