The first Audi Q6L e-tron has rolled off the production line at a new state-of-the-art facility in Changchun, China, operated jointly by Audi and FAW. The plant, part of the Audi FAW NEV Company, is dedicated solely to manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs) based on Audi’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE). The Q6L e-tron, a long-wheelbase variant of the Q6 e-tron produced in Ingolstadt, marks the debut model from the factory, with a locally tailored A6L e-tron expected to follow.
Audi has designed the Q6L e-tron specifically for the Chinese market, incorporating market-specific features and innovations beyond the traditional extended wheelbase. The Changchun facility, capable of producing up to 150,000 vehicles annually, leverages cutting-edge digital and automated technologies.
Notably, 800 robots will handle car body production, while a 24-meter-high automated warehouse ensures efficient logistics. Audi describes the automation level as setting new benchmarks for the Chinese automotive industry.
“The models produced here will play a crucial role in our local portfolio and strengthen our position in this key market,” said Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi. The initiative comes as Audi seeks to expand its electric lineup in China, where its EV sales accounted for less than 5% of total deliveries in 2023. This figure lags behind the country’s growing EV adoption, with November statistics showing BEVs comprising 27% of new car sales, rising to 45.6% when plug-in hybrids are included.
The launch of the Q6L e-tron and A6L e-tron aims to bolster Audi’s electric offerings in China, a market where the German automaker has faced challenges, including the discontinuation of the e-tron GT due to low demand.
Alongside PPE-based vehicles from the Audi FAW venture, the company is also planning new electric models with its SAIC partnership in 2025, signaling an intensified focus on the Chinese EV market. Whether the Q6L e-tron can meet market expectations and drive Audi’s growth in China remains to be seen in the coming year.
