The AUDI brand, a joint venture between SAIC Motor and Volkswagen‘s premium division, Audi, has made a significant debut with the official release of the new AUDI E5 Sportback. Over 10,000 orders were placed soon after the model’s launch, demonstrating the remarkably strong initial response driven by its competitive pricing strategy.
SAIC Audi revealed on Weibo after the official launch event that the AUDI E5 Sportback had received an astounding 10,153 orders in the first half hour. This promising beginning shows that there is a sizable market for this new electric product.
AUDI E5 Sportback: Pricing and Trim Levels
The AUDI E5 Sportback is offered in four distinct trim levels to suit various preferences and budgets:
- Base Rear-Wheel Drive: ¥235,900 (~$33,180)
- Mid-Tier Rear-Wheel Drive: ¥269,900
- Performance All-Wheel Drive: ¥269,900
- Top-Tier All-Wheel Drive: ¥319,900
Design and Dimensions
The AUDI E5 Sportback is a mid-size electric sedan with a sleek touring-style design. It is built on the advanced Digitized Platform co-developed by Audi and SAIC.
Dimensions:
- Length: 4,881 mm
- Width: 1,960 mm
- Height: 1,479 mm
- Wheelbase: 2,950 mm
This places it in direct competition with vehicles like the Nio ET5 Touring (4,790 mm L x 1,960 mm W x 1,499 mm H, 2,888 mm wheelbase), offering a slightly longer and more spacious profile.
Performance and Powertrain Options
The AUDI E5 Sportback caters to a range of driving styles with multiple powertrain configurations:
Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD):
220 kW (295 hp) – 0-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds
300 kW – 0-100 km/h in 5.0 seconds
All-Wheel Drive (AWD – Dual Motor):
386 kW – 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds
579 kW – 0-100 km/h in a blistering 3.4 seconds
Battery and Charging
Buyers can choose from several battery options:
- 76.2-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack
- 83.3-kWh ternary lithium battery pack
- 100-kWh ternary lithium battery pack
With a single charge, these options provide CLTC-rated ranges of 618 km, 623 km, 647 km, and up to 773 km. Audi also boasts impressive charging speeds, claiming that it can increase range by 370 kilometers in just ten minutes.
Advanced Technology Features
The AUDI E5 Sportback is packed with cutting-edge technology:
- Roof-Mounted LiDAR: Enables high-level driver assistance systems.
- Momenta Driver Assistance: Utilizes an End-to-end Big Model (EBM) solution for smart driving capabilities.
- AI Virtual Assistant: An emotionally expressive AI companion controllable by touch or voice, enhancing the human-machine interaction.
