Audi legal action against Chinese EV parallel imports

Electric vehicle models developed through a partnership between Audi and SAIC for the Chinese market, such as the E5 Sportback and E7X, have begun appearing in Germany and Poland via parallel imports. These vehicles, which use the name ‘AUDI’ in large letters instead of the traditional four-ring logo, are being sold by independent importers like Auto China rather than through official Audi dealership networks.

While these models are more affordable than Audi’s official European electric lineup, prices in Germany are significantly higher than in China due to logistics, certification fees, and EU countervailing duties.

Audi has initiated legal action against Auto China to halt the sale of these models, seeking to protect its brand identity, market segmentation, and technical standards. Audi maintains that these vehicles are not intended for the European market and that their presence could cannibalize sales of the official e-tron line.

SAIC Audi has clarified that the dispute centers on the inability of official channels to provide after-sales support for these non-official imports. Concerns remain regarding whether these vehicles, which are designed for the Chinese digital ecosystem, meet European regulatory requirements. Specifically, Audi notes that official European service networks cannot maintain these China-specific models due to fundamental differences in software, sensors, and diagnostic systems.