Audi is teaming up with its Chinese joint-venture partner FAW to launch a plug-in hybrid car for the Chinese market.

Audi A6 L e-tron concept

The Audi A6 e-tron will be based on the long-wheelbase version of the Audi A6, which is already produced in China, and will be adapted to meet local market needs.

The full-size sedan will offer a 50km electric-only range and will be produced within the joint venture by FAW-Volkswagen in Changchun in northern China.

Zhang Pijie, President of FAW-Volkswagen, said: ‘Audi and FAW have been cooperating closely for more than 25 years. Together, we have built up the premium segment in China. Now we are cooperating on the next generation of automobiles.’

‘We are the market leader in China’s premium segment and will continue systematically with the application of efficiency technologies. Audi is thus supporting the Chinese government’s targets for the reduction of fuel consumption,’ stated Dr Dietmar Voggenreiter, president of Audi China and head of the China region at Audi AG.

Audi already offers its Chinese customers a wide range of imported hybrid models, in the form of the Audi Q5 hybrid quattro, Audi A6 hybrid and Audi A8 L hybrid). The Audi A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid will also come to China.

In 2013 Audi delivered 491,989 cars in China (including Hong Kong), an increase of 21% compared with 2012.