Audi Embraces Chinese Tech: Q6L e-tron Marks Strategic Shift for German Luxury
Published: June 03, 2025 14:21
On May 31st, at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Auto Show in Shenzhen, FAW-Audi officially launched pre-orders for the Q6L e-tron family. Positioned as the world's first luxury vehicle to integrate Huawei's advanced technology, the mid-to-large SUV is built on the PPE luxury electric platform and features deeply customized Huawei Qiankun intelligent driving capabilities.
source: Audi China
Against the backdrop of Tesla's waning influence and China's emerging electric vehicle brands ascending the market ladder, this electric SUV—combining German engineering excellence with Chinese AI prowess—signals a pivotal moment where traditional luxury marques are actively embracing Chinese innovation. Audi has long dominated the premium automotive segment through its German precision engineering heritage. To better serve Chinese consumer preferences, the brand continues driving technological advancement while honoring its century-long manufacturing legacy, evidenced by its investment in a cutting-edge super-intelligent ecological factory in Changchun.
The Q6L e-tron's most compelling feature is its standard-equipped Huawei Qiankun ADS 3.0 intelligent driving system. Within a comprehensive sensor network comprising 11 cameras and 31 perception hardware components, dual LiDAR units are innovatively integrated beneath the headlights, featuring proprietary automatic cleaning and heating functions that address the industry's persistent challenge of detection failure in adverse weather conditions. This system supports mapless urban advanced driving assistance and emergency braking at speeds up to 120 km/h, positioning Audi ahead of traditional German competitors in autonomous driving capabilities.
The PPE pure electric platform, co-developed by Audi and Porsche, delivers breakthrough performance through its 800V high-voltage architecture. Equipped with a 107kWh battery pack from CATL (03750.HK), the vehicle achieves 270kW ultra-fast charging capability, adding 294 kilometers of range in just 10 minutes and charging from 10% to 80% in merely 20 minutes.
As a pure electric mid-size SUV, the Audi Q6L e-tron family is expected to compete directly with the BMW iX3, Tesla Model Y, and NIO ES6.
During the global premiere of the new Audi Q6L e-tron ahead of the Beijing International Auto Show, Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, stated: "Through the new Audi Q6L e-tron, we are bringing the technological advantages of the PPE luxury electric platform to China. By 2027, Audi plans to offer pure electric models across all core market segments. The new Audi Q6L e-tron serves as compelling proof of this commitment. In China, we anticipate that the new Audi Q6L e-tron will deliver an exceptional premium electric mobility experience for Chinese consumers."