Volkswagen Group’s premium Audi brand is fighting back in the world’s largest car market with a range of new, more extended versions of its models under the joint SAIC-AUDI (styled in all capitals) brand.
And the first of the line-up for mass production, the E5 Sportback is hot: 10,153 orders within 30 minutes of launch at 235,900 yuan or 28,000 euros. It’s built on a digital/EV platform jointly developed by Audi and state-owned SAIC, positioned to compete with other premium EVs like the Nio ET5 Touring, Zeekr 007 GT, or Tesla Model 3.
Tailored to Chinese taste
The AUDI E5 Sportback is so-called “tailored for Chinese market preferences”. Chinese buyers often prefer sleeker fastback or coupe-like silhouettes over traditional sedans. Lighting is essential, with numerous LEDs and animated light signatures being especially popular.
Chinese EV buyers expect big integrated screens, smart voice assistants, connected services, and entertainment options, including karaoke and gaming, which you won’t see in Western Audi models.
More significant rear passenger space is valued, as many wealthy Chinese people have a driver or grandparents help to finance the car to drive the family. In return, they expect ample space on the rear seats to be driven. The AUDI E5 Sportback measures 4,881 mm on length, 1,960 mm in width, 1,479 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,950 mm.
Four main configurations
It’s offered in multiple trims: both rear-wheel drive (single motor) and all-wheel drive (dual motor) versions, and four main configurations: Pioneer (235,900 yuan / €28,000), Pioneer Plus (269,900 yuan / €32,000), Pioneer Quattro (same price), and Flagship Quattro (319,900 yuan / €37,990).
There are several battery options: 76.2-kWh LFP, 83.3-kWh, and 100-kWh ternary lithium packs, for other, more expensive trims. Claimed CLTC ranges are up to 773 km for the highest spec. Other trims have a lower range, ranging from 618 to 647 km, depending on the battery and motor configuration.
Single-motor RWD options are available with 220 kW and 300 kW power ratings, doing 0-100 km/h in 6.1 s and 5.0 s, respectively. Dual-motor AWD top variants have 386 kW and 579 kW (776 hp) motors, with 0-100 km/h in 3.9 s and 3.4 s in top specs. The E5 Sportback uses an 800-volt architecture, allowing fast-charging, adding 370 km of range in 10 minutes.
Facing difficult times in China
10,000+ orders in 30 minutes suggest strong consumer confidence and interest. It signals that the market responded well to what Audi/SAIC offered. It’s not always clear what qualifies as an order in those first 30 minutes, whether those are binding orders with payment, refundable deposits, outright purchases, or just expressions of intent to buy. This matters for how ‘real’ that 10,153 figure is.
Audi, like other Western brands in China, faces difficult times. For Audi globally, operating margins have dropped. In China, with declining sales and the need for more aggressive discounts or competitive incentives, profitability is under strain.
Audi’s deliveries in China dropped by about 10-11% in 2024 compared to 2023. In the first half of 2025, Audi delivered almost 288,000 vehicles in China, but that was also down (-10%) relative to the same period previously.
For BEVs (battery electric vehicles), the decline has been sharper in China: Audi saw a fall of around 23% in its EV deliveries in China in the first half of 2025.
