On December 3, Beijing time, Audi announced an investment plan for the next five years. By 2025, Audi plans to invest about 35 billion euros in research and development and fixed assets, with 17 billion euros invested only in model projects and innovative technologies, so as to fulfill its brand commitment of "breakthrough technology, enlighten the future".

           According to the investment plan, 2021-2025 will focus on implementing the Roadmap E for electrification, launching a product offensive for pure electric and hybrid models. Audi is expected to invest about 15 billion euros, or more than 40 percent, in electrification. Of this, about 10 billion euros will be spent on pure electric travel and 5 billion euros on hybrid travel. By 2025, Audi will expand its lineup of electrified cars to about 30 models, of which about 20 will be purely electric.

          In the digital field, Audi intends to take advantage of the synergies of Volkswagen Group to reduce costs. "Our investment plan is very clear: we will not reduce the substance of the product, but will focus on electric mobility and software development," said Tom Duthmann, chairman of audi Ag's management board. "Making full use of group synergies on the core issues of the future is an important key to success."

         In Software development, Audi global CEO Markus Duesmann has taken over the role of Car.Software, which will leverage and enhance Audi's technological strengths. In this way, the group's software division will develop a unified operating system for all of the group's models. Car.software will further develop autonomous driving capabilities.

         At the same time, Audi's r&d process in the next five years also takes into account the comprehensive synergies of the group. For example, the development and use of electric platforms will be cross-brand, such as the PPE platform that Audi is developing with Porsche; Audi is also using the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform.

          At present, Audi has gained a considerable advantage in the electric vehicle market. Audi sold 12,149 electric cars worldwide in October, according to EV Sales, bringing its cumulative Sales to 79,430 units in the first 10 months of the year, ranking ninth in the world. Audi e-tron sold 4,574 units globally in October, bringing its cumulative sales to 36,246, ranking seventh in the world, up from 25th last year. The Audi E-tron was also the top-selling luxury electric car on the list, followed by the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona EV, Tesla Model Y, Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, Renault Zoe and Tesla Model 3. It's worth noting that Volkswagen's cumulative sales this year have climbed to the second highest in the world, behind only Tesla. If you look at the results in a single month, the FIRST electric car under the Volkswagen MEB platform, the ID.3, also got off to an impressive start in fourth place, with a record 10,584 cars.

        The scary part is that this is just the beginning of Volkswagen and Audi's push into electric cars.