SAIC Audi announced on September 16 that its newly launched AUDI E5 Sportback received 10,153 orders within the first 30 minutes of sales. The all-electric fastback is positioned in the mid-size segment and is priced from 235,900 yuan (approx. 32,400 USD).
The E5 Sportback is offered in four trims:
| Variant | Price (yuan) | Price (approx. USD) | Drivetrain | Power Output | Battery Capacity | CLTC Range (max) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer | 235,900 | 32,400 | RWD | 220 kW | 76.2 kWh (LFP) | 618 km |
| Pioneer Plus | 269,900 | 37,100 | RWD | 300 kW | 100 kWh (NCM) | 773 km |
| Pioneer quattro | 269,900 | 37,100 | AWD | 386 kW | 83.3 kWh (NCM) | 623 km |
| Flagship quattro | 319,900 | 44,000 | AWD | 579 kW | 100 kWh (NCM) | 647 km |
All versions are built on the jointly developed Advanced Digitised Platform and are produced at SAIC Audi’s manufacturing facility.
The vehicle carries over styling elements from the Audi E concept car, adopting a fastback profile with six exterior colour options. Its aerodynamic design achieves a drag coefficient of 0.252 Cd. Lighting is a key feature, with 942 LEDs and nearly 2,000 triangular elements creating dynamic welcome animations. The car measures 4,881 mm in length, 1,960 mm in width, and 1,479 mm in height, with a 2,950 mm wheelbase.
Inside, the E5 Sportback is equipped with a 59-inch integrated display, supported by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8295 chip and running the Audi OS operating system. Additional features include a digital “Audi Island” control interface, electronic rear-view mirrors, and a voice-interactive Audi Assistant developed using a large language model. The system supports multi-zone wake-up commands and compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Huawei HiCar.
Other features include heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic roof, 360-degree cameras, and wireless phone charging. Higher trims add air suspension, CDC adaptive dampers, customizable lighting, and a BOSE 18-speaker sound system.
The E5 Sportback is equipped with 27 sensors, including lidar, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and cameras, alongside an Nvidia Orin-X chip. The model integrates Momenta’s EBM end-to-end large-model assisted driving solution, supporting functions across city roads, highways, and automated parking.
The E5 Sportback is available in both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations:
- Single motor versions deliver maximum outputs of 220 kW or 300 kW.
- Dual motor versions provide 386 kW or 579 kW, with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in as fast as 3.4 seconds.
Battery capacities range from 76.2 kWh to 100 kWh, supplied by CATL, with a maximum claimed CLTC range of 773 km. The car adopts an 800V architecture and comes standard with a heat pump system.
The E5 Sportback enters China’s competitive mid-size EV market, where rivals include the Tesla Model 3, Nio ET5T, and Zeekr 007 GT. In August, Tesla’s Model 3 led sales in this category with 17,739 units.
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