Audi has unveiled a new electric vehicle brand in China. The cars will sport just the name AUDI and not its signature four-ring logo. The premium brand, owned by Germany’s Volkswagen, partnered with Chinese automaker SAIC last year to co-develop cars under the brand, the first of which it plans to put on the market in the summer of next year. The China-specific brand AUDI, is meant to help reboot the company’s presence in the country with a new tech-oriented identity especially with younger consumers; rather than the traditional rings, the logo features a minimalist all-caps font.
Reportedly, the agreement marks an effort by both Audi and SAIC to win back market share in China, where legacy local players and foreign automakers have been losing ground to EV rivals. Reuters first reported in August the new brand would not bear the four ring logo.
