Audi has shown the production version of its A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid at the Beijing Motor Show and confirmed that it will build the Audi A6L e-tron (long-wheelbase version) sedan in China.
Audi chairman Rupert Stadler said that Audi’s first plug-in hybrid on the Chinese market will be the Audi A3 Sportback which will launch in 2015. “This plug-in hybrid is the first in the premium compact class,” Stadler said.
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Stadler said that Audi plans to globally launch a new Audi e-tron every year. In addition to the A3 e-tron and the A6 e-tron, Audi plans a flagship e-tron model A8 and the Q7 will be offered as an e-tron model, too. “Our goal is to have an e-tron version of all key model series by 2020,” said Stadler.
Stadler enthused at Audi’s high rate of growth in China (sales up 21% in Q1). “Here, we are serving our largest single market and in fact, China has become our second home,” he said.
“In 2014, we strive to outperform the general market growth in China and achieve a double-digit growth rate. In other words, we are very focused to deliver far more than half a million automobiles to our customers,” Stadler said.
He also said that production capacity in China is being raised with production capacities in Changchun and Foshan lifted to 700,000 units a year (Foshan is the China production base for the A3 sedan).
