WionDrive News Desk 
Chinese automaker SAIC Motor Corp and Audi, Volkswagen’s premium car brand, have officially inked a cooperation agreement following their strategic memorandum of understanding signed last July. The deal outlines plans for the two companies to jointly develop a range of high-end smart electric vehicles (EVs) for their SAIC Audi joint venture, as well as co-create an Advanced Digitized Platform, according to a statement from SAIC.
The two companies are pooling their resources to jointly develop a range of EV models, with the first product slated for sale in 2025, per SAIC’s statement. Through enhancing R&D efficiency and streamlining development processes, they aim to accelerate time-to-market, the Chinese automaker noted.
These co-developed new models will feature top-tier hardware, software, best-in-class electric performance and user-friendly smart interaction experiences, according to SAIC.
The statement highlighted Audi’s strengths in premium product definition, vehicle development and engineering capabilities, complemented by SAIC’s industry-leading smart EV innovations.
On July 26, 2023, Audi and its Chinese joint venture partner SAIC inked a strategic memorandum to deepen their existing cooperation, as per Volkswagen’s statement.
The two parties will expand their premium EV portfolio through co-development, Volkswagen stated at the time. As an initial step, Audi will launch new EV models in segments it didn’t previously cover in China, the earlier statement noted.
At the same time, Volkswagen announced investing around $700 million for a 4.99% stake in Chinese EV maker Xpeng at $15 per ADS. In the partnership’s initial phase, the two companies plan co-developing two Volkswagen-branded mid-size EVs for China’s market, complementing Volkswagen’s MEB-based EV portfolio, with a 2026 market launch scheduled per the German auto giant.
Audi brand group, including Audi, Bentley, and Lamborghini marques, experienced a significant rise of approximately 14% in car deliveries in China during the first quarter, reaching 156,082 units, as reported in Audi’s earnings statement.
FermÃn Soneira Santos, an executive from Audi, will spearhead a project that builds upon existing agreements with SAIC and the SAIC Volkswagen joint venture.
In a separate instance highlighting Europe’s increasing dependence on Chinese expertise in electric vehicles (EVs), the Franco-Italian automaker Stellantis announced earlier this month that its joint venture with Chinese partner Leapmotor would commence selling two Leapmotor models in the European market starting from September.
