- The model began pre-sales on May 8, with a starting price of 289,800 yuan, significantly lower than the AUDI team’s initial plan.
- The brand is accelerating its transition to electrification and deeply integrating China’s local smart driving and battery technologies.
(Image credit: SAIC Audi)
SAIC Audi, the joint venture between Audi and SAIC Motor in China, is preparing to officially launch the AUDI E7X on May 29, after kicking off pre-sales for the electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) earlier this month.
SAIC Audi announced the plan on Weibo on Wednesday. The model started pre-sales on May 8, with a pre-sales price range of 289,800 yuan ($42,670) to 379,800 yuan.
The SUV heavily integrates local Chinese technology, featuring a 109 kWh high-capacity battery from CATL (HKEX: 3750) as standard across the lineup.
It is also equipped with startup Momenta’s latest-generation Flywheel large model, aimed at providing a higher level of assisted driving experience.
To maintain its edge in the fiercely contested Chinese market, Audi has adopted an aggressive pricing strategy.
The pre-sales price of the E7X was slashed by more than 130,000 yuan compared with the AUDI team’s initial internal pricing plan, according to a May 15 report by local media 21jingji, citing people familiar with the matter.
The move reflects how traditional luxury brands are gradually abandoning hefty brand premiums in China’s highly competitive EV market.
AUDI’s first product, the E5 Sportback, was launched in September 2025 with a guide price of 235,900 yuan to 319,900 yuan, but saw a lukewarm sales response post-launch, with average monthly sales falling short of 2,000 units, the report noted.
In terms of product line planning, the AUDI brand is accelerating the expansion of its EV portfolio.
The AUDI E7X is the second model in Audi’s first wave of offensives in the Chinese EV market, while a third all-new model is scheduled for launch in 2027.
Last month, Audi and SAIC signed a strategic cooperation agreement to further deepen their partnership. The core of the agreement is the establishment of a new, exclusive, Audi-led innovation and technology center in Shanghai, focusing on complete vehicle research and development.
Based on the Advanced Digitized Platform (ADP) — a next-generation smart digital platform built specifically for future intelligent connected vehicles — the two parties will jointly develop and launch the first batch of four all-new AUDI-branded models.
Audi may redefine the roles of its dual joint ventures in China, with FAW Audi focusing on the four-ring brand and fuel cars, while SAIC Audi concentrates on the AUDI brand.
($1 = 6.7921 yuan)
