The Volkswagen Group held its 2024 annual media communication meeting today. CEO Oliver Blume revealed that the models jointly developed by Audi and SAIC will be launched in 2026.
In July last year, Volkswagen officially issued a statement: The Volkswagen brand and Xpeng Motors reached a technical cooperation framework agreement, and Audi and SAIC signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen existing cooperation. Both cooperation contents mentioned that they will “jointly develop the exclusive Chinese market.” “Electric Intelligent Connected Vehicles”. Audi and SAIC will combine their respective advantages to accelerate the development of SAIC Audi’s new electric models to meet the needs of Chinese users for high-end electric intelligent connected vehicles.
As the first step in planning, Audi will launch a new electric model and says it will enter market segments that have not been covered in China before.
Subsequently, there were rumors online that Audi would purchase SAIC’s electric platform. SAIC said that SAIC and Audi had reached a consensus that the two parties would accelerate the development of electric vehicles through cooperation. Both parties agreed that the Chinese automobile market is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, so they will further deepen strategic cooperation and open a new chapter of cooperation to ensure a win-win situation.
In September last year, Audi China President Wen Zeyue said that cooperation with SAIC is one of the group’s important strategies for the Chinese market. Mainly because Audi’s global products are different from those required by the Chinese market, Audi chose to create a new joint venture with local companies.
Wen Zeyue also said that the cooperation with SAIC is not an OEM, but more importantly, it is to deeply empower Audi’s DNA into the SAIC platform. At present, communication on developing products for the new platform is still being actively promoted. It is expected that the appearance of the new product will be finalized next week. It will be a product that is very in line with the aesthetics of China’s trendy people.
