AUDI E5 Sportback Racks Up Over 10,000 Orders in 30 Minutes

[Source: Car News China]

About a month ago we reported that the China-exclusive AUDI E5 Sportback entered production and pre-ordering began. Now via a report from Car News China we know how well the E5 has been received. Within the first 30 minutes of the order books opening, 10,153 E5 Sportback orders were placed. For the math junkies in the crowd that is 338 orders every minute.

Now we don’t expect that torrid pace to continue. Afterall, with there being roughly 525,600 minutes in a year that means the E5 Sportback is on pace for 177,652,800 orders in the next twelve months. That may be just a tad unrealistic. However, all kidding aside, that is one heck of a reception for the new EV fastback. And it could mean some E5 features make it into future Audi vehicles sold in America.

Pre-Order Context

But before we get too carried away, we need to put this in a bit of context. China is the largest automotive market in the world. BYD alone is expected to sell over 4.5 million vehicles in 2025. So, large order numbers are not that uncommon. And red-hot initial orders don’t always mean long-term success. Here in America, there were roughly 2 million pre-orders placed for the Tesla Cybertruck. Yet, only about 2.5 percent of those pre-orders turned into actual sales. And sales continue to drop drastically.  

We are not saying the E5 Sportback won’t be a success, but it is a bit early to be declaring it a runaway hit. But we don’t want to totally discount the hot start. It is certainly preferable to a slow start. And this being the first offering from the new AUDI brand, it is a sign that they have tapped into what the China market is looking for.

Impact on North American Audi Models

What can that mean for the cars we buy here in America? We don’t know yet. Our tastes and expectations in a car differ from those of Chinese buyers. We do know that Audi has been preaching simplicity and clarity a lot lately. And if you look at the AUDI E5 Sportback you can see that theme is carried out throughout the car.

Will some E5 Sportback features and technology come to our shores? It is too early to tell. But we are happy to see the initial success of the E5 Sportback. China-based AUDI doing well can only help Audi vehicles that wear the four rings.