The 19th annual Shanghai Auto Show has delivered electronic and technology-focused vehicles this year. Chinese, European and US carmakers have shown their latest offer in every price segment from budget-considered wheeling Hong Guang Mini through a joint venture of SAIC Motor Corp.
Several automakers acquire the capabilities of their driver assistance systems, using terminology that suggests that they can be autonomous only if regulators allow it. Let us be clear, these systems are not autonomous.
Other automakers have stopped short of making these claims, but have revealed the capabilities of their vehicle software – a movement that has been going on since the rise of Tesla’s popularity. Don’t miss Rita Liao’s Chinese automotive coverage from TechCrunch’s here, which also came out of the auto show, such as how Tesla is working on vehicles suitable for Chinese consumers, including complaints about the quality of electric vehicles.
Audi has shared the spotlight with its Chinese partners FAW and SAIC this year. The companies have shown four world premieres called Audio Concept Shanghai with Audi A6E e-tron concept car, an updated Audi Q5L, Audi A7L and an SEOV survey. The Audi Q5L SEV will continue to manufacture at the FAW-VW joint venture plant in Changchun. Meanwhile, the Audi A7L limousine, which will go into production in 2021, will build in a joint venture with SAEC Audi.
The Audi A7L is reserved for Shanghai and the Chinese market and features adaptive air suspension, rear-wheel steering and four-wheel drive. The A6 etron concept is not the A6 you might be familiar. All of these electric vehicles have built outside Audi’s “premium platform electronic” or PPE platform, which will be the underlying architecture of its C- and B-division production cars by the end of 2022.
The Audi A6 E-Tron concept shares dimensions like the A6 and that is about it. The A6 etron designed as a sportback with a wide coupe roof arch and short overhang. The large 22-inch wheel completes the look. The etron concept is equipped with two electric motors that can deliver 350 kW and a torque of 590 lb-ft. Based on WLTP measurements, the vehicle has an 800-volt charging architecture with an estimated range of 434 miles – similar to the Taycan cousin on its Porsche.
