The Volkswagen-Daughter Audi is negotiating with the Chinese joint venture partner SAIC about a joint development of electric cars. SAIC chief engineer Zu Sijie told reporters on Thursday that his company has reached an agreement with Audi to jointly accelerate the development of electric cars. He did not give details. Audi explained that it is working with partners on the future direction of the China-business to work.
The Ingolstadt-based company is bringing its vehicles onto the market in China through joint ventures with SAIC and FAW. According to an insider, negotiations are ongoing with both partners. Declarations of intent can be expected in the coming weeks, and a contract could be signed this year.
Problems with the China business
Audi lags far behind the competition in the China business. The outgoing Audi boss Markus Duesmann (54) recently said that there are currently no vehicles on the market that are suitable for Chinese needs. At the same time, he announced that some electric models would be located there earlier than originally planned.
Audi is currently building a plant in Changchun together with FAW, where vehicles are to be produced on the PPE platform from the end of 2024. Audi is also selling the electric Q4 in China. The The newly appointed boss Gernot Döllner (54) wants to streamline the model offensive and increase the pace in the USA and China
. Duesmann will remain in office until September.
Western manufacturers are under massive pressure in China
, because domestic e-car brands are cutting the water out for them. Audi is now well behind its US competitors Tesla and the Chinese premium brand Nio have fallen behind. The brand with the four rings as a logo has so far relied on its own technology and builds e-cars based on the MEB electrical construction kit developed by Volkswagen and the PPE premium platform developed with Porsche.