Volkswagen and Audi agree respectively with Xpeng and Saic for the development of new electric vehicles for the Chinese market
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emilianoragoni
The Volkswagen group announces some important agreements aimed at “propring up” its presence in China, constantly “threatened” by competition from competitors such as BYD and Tesla. Specifically, Volkswagen has signed an agreement with Chinese automaker Xpeng for long-term technology cooperation. The German brand has pledged to invest $700 million, thereby securing a 4.99% stake in the company. While Audi and Saic have signed an agreement to expand the already existing cooperation between the two companies to develop models for the Chinese market.
all in china
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The Volkswagen group, despite having several joint ventures in China, is experiencing difficulties with regard to the sales of electric cars due to increasing competition. The Volkswagen plant in Hefei in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui has been expanded, however, this is not enough to achieve long-term success in a strategic market like China. In this sense, the strategic partnership with Xpeng could allow the German company to recover a lot of competitiveness. Initially Volkswagen and Xpeng will work on two new medium-sized electric models, specific for the Chinese market, whose arrival is expected in 2026. Xpeng, although not a giant like BYD, can count on an advanced assistance system drive, for many comparable to Tesla’s Autopilot.
golden opportunity for audi
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Audi, part of the Volkswagen group, has struggled in China in recent months. The premium brand had to face both growing local competition and “internal” competition from Mercedes and BMW. That is why it is absolutely necessary to reverse the trend. With the changeover of Markus Duesmann with Gernot Döllner as CEO, it seems that the first step to get Audi back on the right track has been taken, thanks to the deepening of relations with Saic. In the coming months, the house with the four rings will co-develop a new premium intelligent connected vehicle with SAIC, also specific for China. It will be engineered on a new platform. No timing or technical specifications have been indicated. Audi had previously expressed interest in IM Motors’ platform, owned by Sia, which forms the basis of the L7 sedan and LS7 SUV, and which is characterized by its 800-volt electric architecture.
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