Audi Wins China Car of the Year With an EV You Can’t Buy Elsewhere

Scoring Big in China’s EV Race

Audi’s effort to tap into strong electric-vehicle demand in China appears to have paid off, with the E5 Sportback securing the 2026 China Car of the Year award. The result edges the automaker past major local competitors in this contest, including BYD models, which surpassed Tesla in global EV sales for the first time last year.

It is worth noting that Audi does not directly sell the E5 Sportback. Instead, the model is handled by its China-exclusive sister brand, AUDI (yes, with the capitalization). This distinction helps explain why the E5 nameplate may be unfamiliar to a global audience. Nevertheless, the award highlights how local partnerships can help legacy automakers remain competitive in China, where domestic EV brands continue to grow rapidly.

A Closer Look at the AUDI EV

The AUDI E5 Sportback is an all-electric, wagon-like model that served as the launch vehicle for the Chinese sub-brand this year, which was developed in partnership with SAIC. Buyers can choose from four powertrain configurations, including both rear-wheel-drive and Quattro all-wheel-drive setups.

The range-topping variant produces up to 579 kW (776 horsepower), allowing it to sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds—roughly matching the acceleration of the standard S e-tron GT. Depending on configuration, the E5 Sportback can also travel up to 770 kilometers (478 miles) on a single charge.

Despite the Audi branding, the E5 Sportback and future AUDI models ride on a different foundation than the global EV lineup. These China-market vehicles are built on the Advanced Digitized Platform (ADP), also co-developed with SAIC. By contrast, electric Audis sold in markets such as the United States – including the Q6 e-tron – are based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). Both architectures, however, employ an 800-volt electrical system.

Beyond its 2026 China Car of the Year title, the AUDI EV has collected several additional honors. These include 2025 Most Popular Premium Car, Intelligent Premium Sedan of the Year, Best Handling Sedan of the Year, and Best Design Sedan of the Year.

More Models Are on the Way

AUDI’s expansion is set to continue with the upcoming E7X, an all-electric model that shares similar proportions with the Audi Q7. The E7X is scheduled to launch later this year and is expected to make its public debut at the 2026 Beijing International Auto Show.

Meanwhile, Audi’s performance in the U.S. paints a different picture. The automaker endured a challenging year after posting its weakest sales result of the decade, delivering 164,942 vehicles in 2025, marking a 16-percent decline compared to the previous year.

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