AUDI, a new brand jointly launched by Volkswagen’s premium car brand Audi and SAIC, is set to kick off pre-sales of its first model, the E5 Sportback, on August 18, according to a report by local media Dongchedi. The all-electric midsize vehicle, based on the AUDI E concept, is expected to hit the market by the end of this summer.
The E5 Sportback, a shooting brake-style B-class Sportback, made its debut at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show in late April. It bears similarities to Nio’s ET5 Touring, with dimensions measuring at 4,881 mm in length, 1,960 mm in width, and 1,479 mm in height, along with a wheelbase of 2,950 mm.
This new model is built on the Advanced Digitized Platform electric vehicle platform resulting from Audi’s collaboration with SAIC, and will be manufactured at SAIC Audi’s production base. The E5 Sportback will be available in both single-motor and dual-motor powertrain options, utilizing batteries from CATL. It will offer battery pack options of 83.3 kWh and 100 kWh, providing a range of 647 to 697 kilometers.
Audi officially launched the AUDI brand in China in November 2024, featuring the AUDI lettering in its logo instead of the traditional four rings. The brand unveiled a concept car called the E concept at the time, which was said to be 95 percent close to production and set to be officially launched in the first half of 2025.
The automaker’s move to launch the AUDI brand in China aims to leverage the country’s supply chain to create electric vehicle models tailored to local consumer preferences. With the upcoming pre-sales of the E5 Sportback, Audi is poised to make a significant impact in the Chinese electric vehicle market.
