Audi's electric vehicles designed exclusively for China are making their way to Europe, and they are priced lower than the local versions.
A German company is importing the Audi E5 Sportback and E7X, which are exclusive to China and were never intended for sale in Europe, and is registering them for road use. Despite the shipping and homologation costs, these models are significantly cheaper than their European counterparts by several thousand euros.
Audi has produced two electric vehicles that it did not plan for European customers, and these vehicles are now being registered in Germany by another entity. An importer named Auto China is responsible for bringing in the E5 Sportback and E7X, which Audi developed in collaboration with SAIC for the Chinese market under the AUDI brand. This same company has previously imported the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and Zeekr 9X.
Audi faces challenges with pricing. The top-tier E5 combines 579 kW with a 100 kWh battery and is priced approximately €28,000 lower than an S6 Sportback e-tron, which has a similar battery capacity and 543 horsepower, making it difficult for Volkswagen to compete in Europe.
The situation is similar for the SUVs. The E7X is priced at around €86,800 when shipped, registered, and VAT is included, compared to €93,800 for the smaller, less powerful SQ6 e-tron available in Germany.
These figures also account for crossing the border. EU tariffs on battery electric vehicles manufactured in China range from 17.8% to 45.3%, yet the imported Audis still manage to undercut their German-built counterparts in a market where Chinese brands already have a record 14.2% share.
This highlights the gap Volkswagen Group has been pointing out for the past two years, but it has emerged from a contrasting direction. The group is able to produce at lower costs in China than in Europe, and now the imported vehicles carry its own branding.
Audi's response is technical. A spokesperson mentioned that the AUDI models utilize an Advanced Digitized Platform developed with SAIC and are “deeply integrated into China’s digital ecosystem.” Prospective buyers should interpret this as a caution rather than a selling point. There is a lack of repair expertise in Europe, the supply of spare parts remains uncertain, and the driver assistance systems are calibrated for Chinese road conditions.
There is also an unsettling precedent that those in the trade would prefer to avoid. A dealer imported around 20 Volkswagen ID.6s meant for the Chinese market, but Volkswagen filed a lawsuit in 2023, resulting in the halting of sales and the destruction of the imported vehicles.
The trade association is also advising against such actions. "As a dealer, I would not import vehicles from China," stated Ansgar Klein of the BVfK, noting that even with legal clearance, “there remains a de facto residual risk.”
The underlying issue is systemic. Volkswagen has been seeking more protection from Chinese-built vehicles from Brussels throughout this year. The newest Chinese-built car with a German license plate is an Audi.
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Audi's electric vehicles designed exclusively for China are making their way to Europe, and they are priced lower than the local versions.
A German importer is introducing Audi's E5 and E7X, manufactured in China, to Europe, where they are priced significantly lower than Audi's own European models by several thousand euros.