The construction of the Audi EV plant in Changchun, China, is progressing as planned. In June 2022, the joint venture between Audi and its Chinese partner FAW (First Automotive Works) laid the foundation for the new production site. As a reminder, the factory is dedicated to the production of all-electric Audi models. With its advanced facility, the company aims to establish new benchmarks in digitalization, efficiency, and sustainability.
“Audi FAW NEV Company assumes a central role in Audi’s electrification strategy for China. It is the first Audi plant in China to exclusively produce all-electric vehicles. We are also establishing a comprehensive industrial ecosystem centered around our new plant in Changchun. It will drive improvements throughout the supply chain and advance the region’s economic development.” said Helmut Stettner, CEO of Audi FAW NEV Company Ltd.
Construction Timeline
- June 2022: Audi FAW NEV Company begins construction of the new production site. Twenty buildings are to be built on the grounds.
- November 2022: The roofing ceremony marks the successful completion of the building shells.
- September 2023: Audi FAW NEV Company will open one of the world’s most advanced Audi testing centers, the Test Center Changchun, with the capacity to operate up to 70 test vehicles simultaneously.
- End of 2023: The company aims to complete the construction of the factory and the installation of all production facilities, including a total of around 1,000 robots, an automated high-bay warehouse, heavy-duty machine presses, and camera-based monitoring systems.
- 2024: Personnel will occupy the new facilities after thoroughly testing and preparing the production steps for series production.
- End of 2024: Production of the first all-electric models based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) will begin soon.
The newly built plant covers an area of approximately 380 acres, making it slightly bigger than the Audi plant in Neckarsulm. It has the capacity to produce up to 150,000 fully electric Audi models annually, specifically designed for the Chinese market, based on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform. Initially, the plant will produce three models from the Audi A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron series. The factory will also have a battery assembly facility that will manufacture high-voltage batteries for the China-specific PPE models. Notably, to minimize logistics distances, a significant number of suppliers will be located within a 30-kilometer radius of the factory. To achieve this, an exclusive supplier park will be developed adjacent to the factory.
Although this new plant does not apply to the North American market, it will be interesting to see if it will influence EV production and demand in the U.S. Let us know what you think in the comments and don’t forget to subscribe to AudiSpeed for more Audi news and content!
