Audi’s plan to reinvent itself in China is further unfolding. Its new 670-horsepower E7X electric SUV has been spotted during winter testing, months after regulatory filings first revealed the model’s core specifications.
When Audi chose to create a China-only brand written in capital letters rather than crowned by its familiar four rings, it was a tacit admission that the old formula was losing traction.
And the new strategy is moving forward. Accompanying its first newborn, the E5, is this E7X. After the picture leak late last year, the five-meter electric SUV developed with SAIC has been caught undergoing cold-weather trials ahead of its planned April debut.
Flush door handles
Images published by the Chinese outlet Autohome confirm the proportions of this large, assertively styled crossover, which rides on 22-inch wheels. We can see side mirrors with camera technology and a prominent roof-mounted LiDAR sensor.
The production car appears slightly cleaner in its surfacing, with flush door handles (ahead of the ban on these, effective 1 January 2027) and a sculpted hood.
An active front air intake suggests that Audi is paying close attention to thermal management, which is critical for range and performance in the harsher climates of northern China.
Regulatory documents released before the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) indicated that the E7X measures 5,049 mm in length, 1,997 mm in width, and 1,710 mm in height, with a 3,060 mm wheelbase.
That footprint places it firmly in China’s premium large-SUV bracket. It’s a fiercely contested segment dominated by domestic electric brands that have outpaced many foreign manufacturers on software and battery integration.
Up to 751 km of range
Powertrain details, however, point to an effort to match those rivals. Entry-level versions use a single rear motor producing 300 kW, while dual-motor variants deliver a combined 500 kW (roughly 670 horsepower) and a claimed top speed of 230 km/h.
Two ternary lithium battery packs, sourced from CATL, are listed at 100 kWh and 109.3 kWh, with official range figures reaching 751 km under China’s test cycle for the most efficient configuration.
On paper, those numbers are competitive. The question is whether that will be enough. Audi’s first model under the new AUDI banner, the E5 Sportback, generated strong initial interest, selling 10,000 units in the first half hour.
But it has struggled to translate that early enthusiasm into sustained volume, according to Chinese sales trackers. In a market where domestic competitors refresh models at speed and cut prices with little warning, momentum can evaporate quickly.
Premium Platform Electric
The E7X carries heavier expectations. SUVs remain the default choice for many Chinese buyers, particularly in the upper segments where rear-seat space and digital features weigh as heavily as badge prestige.
By sharing its underlying Premium Platform Electric architecture with global Audi EVs while tailoring the design and technology to local tastes, the company from Ingolstadt is attempting to strike a delicate balance between German engineering identity and Chinese consumer priorities.
