Future Audi electric vehicles for the Chinese market are expected to be based on a platform developed by SAIC. Therefore, it is rumored that the company wants to separate Chinese-made cars by removing the logo of four related rings.
Audi and SAIC are developing a series of new electric cars codenamed “Purple” that will be manufactured and sold exclusively in China. Insider sources claim that the new range of electric cars will not feature Audi's four-ring emblem.
Reuters reportsthat two people with direct knowledge of the German automaker's plans said the company's decision was driven by “brand image considerations” as electric vehicles will be developed in China rather than Europe, with “increased reliance on local suppliers and technology.”
It is also said that it is not yet known whether the Chinese series of electric cars will be sold under a different brand or will only retain the Audi nameplate without using the rings logo.
It is reported that the first concept car, which will be the personification of the new future line, will be shown in November, while 9 new models are scheduled to debut by 2030. Interestingly, an Audi spokesperson declined to comment on the information and called it speculation, while SAIC told Reuters that the electric cars will be “genuine Audi with authentic brand DNA.”
Audi and SAIC first announced the joint development of an EV platform in May, and the models are expected to be powered by SAIC's architecture. Experts speculate that this is what made Audi differentiate the Chinese models from existing EVs that use VW Group's MEB and PPE architectures.
In addition, the choice of a Chinese platform for the new car line may be related to the delay of the future SSP architecture, which is currently being developed by the Volkswagen Group, due to software problems. However, both companies have not yet provided any official information regarding the logo change, so we have to wait for new details.