Business · Companies · 2 hrs ago
Audi moves to stop imports of China-market electric cars in Germany
Audi has taken legal steps to stop imports of its China-market E5 Sportback and E7X in Germany.
The cars were offered by Auto China, a parallel importer that brings vehicles into the country outside the maker’s usual sales network.
Audi says the models do not have EU type approval, and its workshops and authorised dealers outside China cannot maintain them.
The AUDI brand was created with China’s SAIC partner for Chinese customers, so the cars are treated as products from a separate maker outside China.
Auto China has removed both models from its website, though some cars have already been imported and seen in German cities.
Their appeal included prices lower than comparable Audi electric cars, although the German import prices were more than twice the prices in China.
Buyers may have difficulty getting official servicing, and Audi’s legal action is aimed at preventing further imports.
Audi has taken legal steps to stop imports into Germany of electric cars made for its China-only AUDI brand.
The E5 Sportback and E7X were offered by German importer Auto China but are no longer listed on its website.
Audi says the models lack EU type approval and that its European workshops cannot service them.
Some cars had already been imported and seen in German cities.
The models were developed with SAIC for Chinese customers and are sold there at lower prices than in Germany.
- Who
- Audi and the importer Auto China. The cars are from Audi’s China-market sub-brand AUDI, developed with SAIC.
- What
- Audi has taken legal steps to stop imports of the E5 Sportback and E7X into Germany.
- When
- Audi’s legal steps were reported on October 20, 2026.
- Where
- Germany; the models were developed for the Chinese market.
- Why
- Audi says the cars lack EU type approval and its European workshops cannot service them.
Audi
Auto China
Legal action
Audi
Audi wants to prevent the imports, saying the models lack EU type approval.
Auto China
Auto China offered the China-market models for sale in Germany.
Service
Audi
Audi says its authorized European workshops cannot maintain the cars because they are treated as products of another manufacturer outside China.
Auto China
Not stated.
The AUDI E5 Sportback was first presented as the sub-brand’s first production model.
Auto China offered the China-developed AUDI models in Germany.
Audi had taken legal steps to stop the imports, and the E5 Sportback and E7X were no longer listed on Auto China’s website.
- Models
- AUDI E5 Sportback and E7X
- Importer
- Auto China
- Development partner
- SAIC
- EU type approval
- The models do not have it, according to Audi.
- German listing prices
- E5 Sportback: €59,980; E7X: from €72,900
- China prices
- E5 Sportback: about €26,269; E7X: about €34,407
3 sources
What people are saying
The Audi AG and authorized Audi dealers outside China cannot carry out maintenance work, because AUDI models are considered products of another manufacturer in countries outside China.