Audi Takes Charge: Unveiling its All-New Electric Car Line in China and Addressing Concerns about the Future of its Brussels Factory

Audi, a renowned luxury car manufacturer from Germany, is set to begin production at its new electric car factory in Changchun, northern China, before the end of this year. The company announced this information in a statement released on Thursday ahead of the Beijing Motor Show next week. At the show, Audi will be exhibiting fully electric cars with a focus on the Chinese market, which is currently the largest market globally.

As part of its strategy to become a global leader in premium electric mobility, Audi has adopted a local approach to building cars “in China for China.” The three models that will be produced in Changchun are based on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform developed in collaboration with Porsche. These models include the Audi Q6 e-tron and Audi A6 e-tron series tailored for the Chinese market, with pre-production already underway in the new factory.

In contrast, there have been concerns about the future of Audi’s Brussels factory where the fully electric Q8 e-tron is currently manufactured. Uncertainty emerged after it was announced that the successor to the Q8 e-tron would not be produced after 2027. This year, Audi Brussels faced economic challenges leading to temporary job losses and production slowdown. In response to these issues, Prime Minister De Croo has formed an Audi task force to address them and secure the future of Audi Brussels before upcoming elections.

The task force comprises government representatives and factory management and will reconvene in early May to work towards resolving these issues and providing clarity for approximately 3,000 employees at the facility in Vorst. Overall, Audi’s move to produce electric cars in China marks an important step towards becoming a global leader in premium electric mobility while also addressing economic challenges at its Brussels factory.