Audi Opens Innovation Tech Center in Shanghai, Aims for First Co-Developed Model by 2028

On September 3, the Audi Innovation Technology Center (AITC) officially opened in Shanghai. Jointly established by AUDI AG and SAIC Motor, AITC is Audi’s first intelligent electric technology center outside Germany. It will focus on R&D for intelligent electrification technologies and full-value-chain vehicle development for smart, connected cars. Leveraging Audi’s ADP 2.0 intelligent digital platform, the two partners will co-develop four new AUDI models, with the first scheduled to debut in 2028. Joachim Schramm, President of Audi China, stated that the establishment of AITC marks a significant step in Audi’s localization strategy in China—evolving from “localized production and localized products” to “localized R&D.” The center will shorten decision-making cycles in development, enabling a localized closed loop for feature definition, technical validation, and supplier collaboration tailored to the Chinese market. Audi is actively partnering with local Chinese tech companies in areas such as intelligent cockpits and autonomous driving, and remains open to all suppliers, while emphasizing that vehicle integration capabilities, quality standards, and core brand elements will continue to be led by Audi. In terms of brand strategy, Audi is pursuing a “dual-track approach”: continuing to advance electrification under the traditional Four Rings brand while entering the smart EV market with a new “AUDI”-badged sub-brand. By 2026, the AUDI brand had already launched two models—the E5 Sportback and the E7X—with the E7X delivering over 4,000 units in its first month on the market. Regarding sales channels, Audi operates nearly 800 dealerships across China. The company is supporting traditional dealers through training, equipment upgrades, and marketing assistance to facilitate their transformation, while simultaneously exploring a more compact retail network and integrated direct-sales and omnichannel models for the AUDI brand.