Episode Details

It’s been around two years since the AUDI brand (stylized in all caps) was launched in China. Co-owned by Audi (the luxury brand we know well) and SAIC Motor, the AUDI’s vehicles are based on SAIC’s technology but have a unique design not shared with traditional Audis. They also don’t have the traditional four-ring logo. 

It was a curious branding exercise, and it seems as if Chinese customers haven’t warmed up to it, either. AUDI’s first car, the E5 Sportback, has failed to match the sales figures of rivals from Tesla and domestic Chinese brands in a market where EVs are immensely popular.

Related: AUDI, Not Audi: A New EV Sub-Brand Prepares for Launch

AUDI E5 Sportback Has Tech and Charging Issues

Data from Bloomberg Intelligence, reported by Auto News, shows that only 605 examples of the E5 Sportback were sold in China in January, despite it being crowned Car of the Year there. Between its launch in September and the end of December, 6,650 total units have been sold. A compact model, the E5 Sportback competes against EVs like the Tesla Model Y and Xiaomi YU7 in China, both of which are selling over 30,000 units monthly. Xiaomi is best-known as a smartphone brand but is a key player in the electric car segment in China. Right now, AUDI isn’t keeping up with either brand.

A few issues with its technology and charging performance are holding the E5 back. Neo Shen, an engineer based in Shanghai, says his E5 Sportback’s infotainment system “is a total work-in-progress and full of bugs." Driver-assistance features that are too slow to respond and an air conditioning system that turns on each time the car goes on are other issues. He expressed these criticisms despite being a big fan of the E5’s design.

The E5’s charging speeds are slower than some rivals’, too. It needs 15 minutes to add roughly 217 miles, which isn’t bad by U.S. standards, but Chinese customers are now accustomed to the very fastest charging speeds. The LS6 compact SUV from IM Motors, for instance, adds about 248 miles of range in 10 minutes.

Related: Audi Wins China Car of the Year With an EV You Can’t Buy Elsewhere

Why German Luxury Brands Are Struggling in China

In China, Audi’s overall sales fell by 5% to 617,514 units in 2025, relative to 164,942 sales in the United States. This underlines how crucial the Chinese market is for Audi—it’s by far the brand’s largest market. The AUDI sub-brand was an opportunity to capitalize on the popularity of EVs in China and