BEIJING: Audi FAW NEV Company, a cooperation project between Audi and long-standing partner FAW, has started production of all-electric Audi models.
The company and its new state-of-the-art plant form a key component of the strategy Audi has adopted for the Chinese market.
The new production site in Changchun is the first in China to exclusively produce fully electric Audi models based on the PPE platform, beginning with the Q6L e-tron family, followed by a market-specific version of the Audi A6 e-tron.
Production for the first of fully electric Audi models based on the PPE platform (Premium Platform Electric) has started in China.
The PPE is the next-generation platform for all-electric vehicles from Audi that set standards in terms of performance, range, charging, and driving dynamics.
Audi FAW NEV Company manufactures mid-sized and full-sized PPE vehicles, starting with the Audi Q6L e-tron and the Audi Q6L Sportback e-tron. A China-specific variant of the Audi A6 e-tron is set to follow.
“The models produced here will play a crucial role in our local portfolio and strengthen our position in this key market,” said Audi CEO Gernot Döllner.
The Audi Q6L e-tron differs from the international model not only in its traditionally longer wheelbase, but also through numerous design features and innovations for the Chinese market.
For example, the interior of the Q6L e-tron impresses with a digital experience also developed specifically for China. Its sister model, the Audi Q6L Sportback e-tron, combines the strengths of the SUV model with a sporty coupé-like silhouette.
“Localised production of market-specific models has always been key to our success in China, and it is essential for the future of Audi to be close to customers,” said Audi AG production chief Gerd Walker.
Audi is focusing even more strongly on market-oriented production in the three core regions of Europe, North America, and China.
Set up in partnership with Audi’s long-standing partner FAW, Audi FAW NEV Company’s plant in Changchun – FAW’s traditional home – will create around 3,000 new jobs in the future.
With a planned annual production capacity of over 150,000 vehicles, the new site is making a key contribution to the electrification of the Audi product portfolio in China.
The plant incorporates the entire value chain of automotive production and is equipped with a press shop, body shop, paint shop, and vehicle assembly. Production of the high-voltage batteries for the China-specific PPE models takes place at the plant’s battery assembly facility.
With more than 800 robots enhancing precision and efficiency, the automation rate in the body shop will reach the highest levels in the industry in China.
