Audi goes to court to bar AUDI’s electric vehicles in Germany

Audi has filed a lawsuit with the German courts to prevent electric cars created exclusively for China from being sold in its own backyard. The Volkswagen Group brand has filed a lawsuit against Auto China, an independent importer that started to bring, homologate and offer in Germany the E5 Sportback and E7X models, marketed in the Chinese market under the AUDI sub-brand.

A spokesman for the automaker told the Automobilwoche newspaper that the company has initiated legal action against the importer and will enforce its rights strictly. Audi also says that the two models are not officially exported outside China through channels authorized by Audi AG.

Developed with the Chinese state-owned SAIC, the E5 Sportback and E7X are sold under a brand written in capital letters and without the four rings, created to attract young consumers in the world’s largest market. The 4.88 m E5 fastback has versions from 299 hp to 787 hp and up to 773 km of autonomy in the Chinese CLTC cycle. The E7X, a 5.05 m SUV launched in May, delivers 408 hp and 51 kgfm with rear-wheel drive or 680 hp and 81.6 kgfm in the quattro configuration.

In Germany, the price almost triples

The price jump helps explain the inconvenience of Ingolstadt. According to Automobilwoche, Auto China asked 59,980 euros (about R$ 354 thousand) for the E5 Sportback and 72,900 euros (approximately R$ 431 thousand) for the E7X in the Flagship version.

The values are net: to them are added a recharge adapter, European homologation, two-year warranty and freight. With the value-added tax of 19%, the E5 reached 81,789 euros, or close to R$ 483 thousand, 2,7 times what the model costs in China, where it starts at 235,900 yuan (something like R$ 177 thousand).

Without an official network, maintenance becomes a problem

The manufacturer says that its dealerships outside China cannot service these cars, considered outside the official network in these markets, which tends to generate software, diagnostics, parts and repairs barriers.

The risk also falls on those who import. Ansgar Klein, president of the German association of independent dealers (BVfK), told Automobilwoche that without express authorization from the manufacturer, the importer could face potentially destructive trademark disputes.

In a similar case involving the Chinese Volkswagen ID.6, a court decision banned sales and the cars already landed had to be destroyed.

E5 Sportback and E7X disappeared from Auto China’s website, which did not confirm to Automobilwoche whether the withdrawal was related to the legal offensive. The importer continues to offer other Chinese models, from brands such as Xiaomi, Jetour, Zeekr and Huawei.

In Brazil, the AUDI sub-brand is not sold and Audi’s electric line occupies another price level: the A6 Sportback e-tron, the closest equivalent of the E5, is valued at around R$ 533 thousand by the Fipe table, against the approximately R$ 177 thousand of the Chinese model in its home market.