Audi Is Ditching the Four-Ring Badge on EVs in China: Report

Almost any other brand would kill to have a logo with as much recognition as Audi’s four rings. Even to non-car people across the world, those four rings represent automotive luxury. However, Audi might be throwing decades of global brand recognition away in China, according to Reuters.

Two people with direct knowledge of the situation reportedly told Reuters that Audi’s upcoming Chinese-market electric vehicles will lose their iconic four-ring badges. According to the report, one such person said Audi’s decision was due to “brand image consideration.” Is Audi losing its brand cache in the Chinese market? That’s certainly possible. With China’s own EV brands thriving, and European brands still selling a lot of gas-powered vehicles, there could be a market push for domestic electric vehicles. Chinese EV brands like BYD, Zeekr, and Nio have all handily outsold Audi’s E-Tron models so far in 2024, per Reuters.

Established luxury brands from Germany and the U.S. were once all the rage with Chinese buyers but with tastes shifting toward domestic brands, could something like Audi’s four rings on the front of a car be a liability rather than an asset? It’s entirely possible.

Audi announced back in May 2024 that it’s partnering with China’s SAIC to develop its next generation of EVs. “Cooperation starts with three BEV models covering B and C segments to quickly enter into the dynamic and fast-growing electric vehicle market in China,” an Audi representative told The Drive. But would those new vehicles sport a traditional four-ringed Audi badge or perhaps a new badge, designed to represent the joint effort of Audi and SAIC? Audi wouldn’t say.

“At present, there are lots of rumors especially in China regarding this project and the products to come to the Chinese market. Please understand, that we cannot comment [on] each of them.”

Completely dropping a logo that’s been around for almost a century is a huge deal. Getting rid of so much brand prestige would prove a cultural shift in the Chinese market away from legacy brands and toward new, EV-only brands. Audi will reportedly keep the four rings on its current crop of EVs, including the Q4 E-Tron, Q6 E-Tron, and newly released A6 E-Tron. However, when its next generation of EVs hit the market, we could see an entirely new Audi badge in China.

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