On April 17, Audi and SAIC Motor signed a new round of strategic cooperation, announcing the establishment of an Audi Innovation Technology Center in Shanghai. Led by Audi, the center will focus on full-vehicle development in smart electrification and intelligent connected vehicles (ICV). Positioned as an R&D hub rather than a commercial entity, the center will concentrate on product definition, platform development and technology integration. Future models under the AUDI brand will complete key stages from research and development to engineering within this system. Audi and SAIC Motor signed a new round of strategic cooperation According to the plan, the two parties will jointly develop future AUDI models based on a next-generation Advanced Digitized Platform. The first batch of four models is already in the pipeline and will be launched in China over the coming years. As early as 2023, Volkswagen Group established Volkswagen (China) Technology Company (VCTC) in Hefei as its core R&D center for intelligent electric vehicles in China. VCTC serves as a unified technology provider, delivering platforms and electronic architectures for multiple brands including Volkswagen, Audi and Jetta. AUDI E7X The newly established Audi Innovation Technology Center in Shanghai follows a similar logic by separating R&D from sales. Engineering teams will focus on product and platform development, while sales and distribution will continue to be handled by the SAIC Volkswagen system. A key difference is ownership structure. While VCTC is wholly owned by Volkswagen, the new Audi center adopts a joint venture model, placing greater emphasis on collaboration with local partners. On the product front, the AUDI brand has already entered the commercialization phase. Its first mass-production model, the AUDI E5 Sportback, was launched in 2025, with March retail sales reaching 2,630 units, a record high. AUDI E5 Sportback The brand’s first SUV, the Audi E7X, is set to make its debut at the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, with a third model planned for launch in 2027. Channel performance is also improving. In the first quarter, SAIC Audi recorded terminal sales of over 10,000 units, up 28% year-on-year. Against the backdrop of pressure on the broader premium segment, this growth suggests that new branding and product cycles are beginning to gain traction.
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