AUDI E5 Sportback: kickoff of new brand for Chinese market
AUDI: a new brand, a new strategy
With the introduction of AUDI – written in capital letters and without the familiar four-ring logo – Audi aims to respond more quickly to the specific needs of the Chinese market. According to Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, the new brand – including the new AUDI E5 Sportback – “combines the best features of Audi, reinterpreted and tailored to the needs of Chinese customers.”
Cooperation with China’s SAIC should enable the new brand to innovate faster. The development time of the AUDI E5 Sportback has been reduced by thirty percent with this cooperation, according to Audi. The car is based on the newly developed Advanced Digitized Platform (ADP), a technological basis for future models.
Dimensions AUDI E5 Sportback
The AUDI E5 Sportback is an all-electric four-door fastback with a length of 4,881 millimeters, a width of 1,959 millimeters and a height of 1,478 millimeters. The proportions and lines have been kept deliberately dynamic. The design incorporates recognizable elements from Audi’s history, but with subtle references to Chinese taste preferences. For example, the car has rounded wheel arches and an updated interpretation of the classic Singleframe grille, referred to as the AUDI Light Frame.
A striking feature is the continuous black line that visually unites various functional elements – such as lights, sensors and spoilers – at the front and rear. Aerodynamics play an important role, including a floating front spoiler, air curtains and an integrated rear wing.
Lighting technology as a visual feature
The lighting of the AUDI E5 Sportback plays a leading role in its design. Clever modules integrated into the body, together with more than a thousand individual light units, form the recognizable AUDI Light Frame. Matrix LED technology provides directional lighting that should prevent glare from oncoming traffic. Audi also offers several illuminated “welcome animations,” which respond to the preferences of different users and are a nod to the Shanghai skyline.
Interior AUDI: balance between technology and tranquility
Inside the AUDI E5 Sportback, a horizontal layout takes center stage, with luxurious materials and subtle comfort features. Examples include ambient lighting with natural light, hidden vents, a fragrance system with three exclusive scents and headrests with integrated speakers.
The cockpit features a curved 27-inch 4K display that extends from the driver’s side to the passenger side. The central control panel has room for two smartphones, which can be charged wirelessly with active cooling.
Natural materials play a major role. The door panels feature wooden slats that are indirectly illuminated, inspired by modern architecture. At the top, a panoramic glass roof with automatic dimming function provides additional light.
AUDI OS: new standard for digital interaction
At the heart of the digital system is AUDI OS, designed for fast, intuitive operation. It runs on a powerful Snapdragon 8295 chipset from Qualcomm, capable of 30 billion operations per second. With this system, the E5 offers a wide range of apps and entertainment capabilities, including facial recognition for personalized access to the digital world. Smartphone integration is fully integrated. Central is the AUDI Assistant, an AI-powered voice and touch-controlled avatar that acts as a digital companion. Users can customize the Assistant’s personality according to their own preferences.
Four drive variants and fast charging times
The E5 Sportback is available with four all-electric powertrains ranging from 220 to 579 kW (300 to 788 hp). Both rear-wheel drive and Quattro all-wheel drive are available. The most powerful variant accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds. Battery capacity is up to 100 kWh, good for a range of up to 770 kilometers. Thanks to 800-volt fast-charging technology, up to 370 kilometers of driving range can be added within ten minutes.
Driving assistance tailored to Chinese traffic
For the Chinese market, special attention has been paid to advanced driving assistance systems. The LiDAR-based AUDI 360 Assisted Driving system uses 29 sensors, including 11 cameras and a 100-line LiDAR, to analyze and support complex traffic situations in crowded cities.
Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and parking assistance are all present. Additional features are specifically tailored to scenarios such as detecting mopeds, tricycles and playing children, which are common in Chinese city traffic. A special addition is memory for multi-level parking locations, intended for use in parking garages of residential complexes and shopping malls.
Outlook AUDI
The market launch of the AUDI E5 Sportback will start in the summer of 2025. This will be followed by two more all-electric models in 2026 and 2027. Audi is thus taking another step in its largest-ever product offensive, with a clear focus on the Chinese market. With AUDI as a new brand and the E5 Sportback as its first model, Audi is trying to keep in touch with a rapidly changing automotive world in which digitization and electrification are central.
