Audi Reveals the AUDI E5 Sportback: A New Era of Premium Electric Mobility for China
Static photo Colour: Morning Haze
At the Volkswagen Group Media Night ahead of Auto Shanghai 2025, Audi’s newly established China-exclusive brand, AUDI, unveiled its first production model: the dynamic and highly anticipated AUDI E5 Sportback. As a groundbreaking new entry into the Chinese electric vehicle market, the E5 Sportback blends unmistakable Audi DNA with innovative digital ecosystems tailored specifically to Chinese customers.
Strategic Breakthrough: The New AUDI Brand for China
Recognizing the unique demands of the Chinese market, Audi created the AUDI brand (styled in all capitals, without the traditional four rings) to deliver a fresh, digitally focused premium experience. Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG, emphasized, “With our new brand AUDI exclusively for China, we are offering new answers in the growing Chinese EV market.”
Developed in partnership with SAIC and based on the new Advanced Digitized Platform (ADP), the E5 Sportback embodies Audi’s promise of cutting-edge mobility. The new platform enables hyperconnectivity, AI integration, and lightning-fast development cycles—accelerating product development time by 30%.
Design and Dimensions: A Fusion of Minimalism and Dynamism
The AUDI E5 Sportback showcases dynamic proportions:
- Length: 4,881 mm
- Width: 1,959 mm
- Height: 1,478 mm
Its exterior is a futuristic interpretation of Audi’s iconic design language, emphasizing minimalist elegance with powerful stances. A blacked-out frame seamlessly integrates lighting, sensors, and aerodynamic components such as a floating front spoiler and an elegantly hidden rear spoiler. Striking LED light graphics and a refined Sportback silhouette create an unmistakable and modern Audi presence.
Lighting Innovation: Where Technology Meets Emotion
The E5 Sportback features ultra-slim Matrix LED headlights with hidden positioning lights that animate spectacularly upon activation. Over 1,000 triangular light elements form the distinctive AUDI Light Frame, offering a visual signature inspired by both Audi tradition and Shanghai’s dynamic skyline. Various animated welcome sequences further reinforce the personalized luxury experience.
Interior: A Sanctuary of Calm and High Technology
The cabin offers a horizontal, layered design theme that balances natural materials with high-tech features:
- Integrated ambient lighting and aromatherapy diffusers
- Hidden air vents and high-fidelity headrest speakers
- Elegant laminated wood inlays inspired by contemporary architecture
- Automatically dimming panoramic glass roof
An ultra-wide 27-inch 4K panoramic display stretches across the dashboard, powered by a Snapdragon 8295 processor. Every surface is touch-responsive, designed to convey a sense of calm and intuitive interaction.
Intuitive Operation: AUDI OS and AI Integration
The E5 Sportback introduces AUDI OS, a new operating system customized for China, complete with seamless smartphone integration, an expansive app ecosystem, and facial recognition access. The AI-driven AUDI Assistant offers an emotional, human-like interaction, responding to voice and touch while adapting to individual user behavior.
Performance and Electrification
The AUDI E5 Sportback is as dynamic as it is digital:
- Available with rear-wheel or quattro all-wheel drive
- Power outputs: 220, 300, 425, or 579 kW
- 0–100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds
- Up to 100 kWh battery capacity
- Maximum range: 770 km
The advanced 800V architecture allows the E5 Sportback to recover 370 km of range with just a 10-minute charge, underscoring its readiness for long-distance travel.
Advanced Driver Assistance: Designed for China’s Urban Complexity
The E5 Sportback features Audi’s 360 Assisted Driving system, enhanced by a cutting-edge LiDAR sensor array:
- 29 sensing components including long-range radar, cameras, and LiDAR
- Adaptive cruise assist for highways and urban environments
- Obstacle avoidance, traffic light recognition, intelligent lane changing
- Memory Parking for complex parking situations in residential and commercial areas
The Road Ahead
Following the launch of the E5 Sportback, AUDI plans to release two more fully electric models by 2027, marking the most aggressive product offensive in Audi’s history in China.
Conclusion: A New Dawn for Audi in China
With the AUDI E5 Sportback, Audi is not just responding to the demands of the Chinese market—it is redefining them. Combining world-class driving dynamics, avant-garde design, and next-generation digital intelligence, the E5 Sportback stands as a beacon for the future of premium electric mobility in China’s rapidly evolving automotive landscape.
Car Design TV will closely follow how AUDI’s China-specific strategy shapes the broader future of global automotive design and innovation.
