Chinese carmaker SAIC has confirmed its partnership with Audi for upcoming EV projects, Car Expert has reported.

“All stakeholders agree that the Chinese auto market is in the midst of the biggest transformation in its history, therefore we will jointly work on a strategic approach that guarantees our future success,” SAIC told Automotive News in a statement.

Last week, Reuters that Audi has been in talks to purchase an EV platform from SAIC, namely the platform owned by IM Motors which is a joint venture between SAIC Motor and Chinese technology companies Zhangjiang Hi-Tech and Alibaba Group.

Audi is reportedly looking to partners outside the Volkswagen Group as there are delays sustained in the development of the Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), though it remained unclear if these models developed on the IM Motors platform would be destined for global markets or be confined to China, Car Expert wrote.

In China, Audi EV sales have been weak compared to its competitors, as data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) show Audi sold just over 3,000 EVs in the first quarter in China, compared to BMW which sold 21,646 units, and Tesla sold 137,429 units.

The IM Motors platform will be used by Audi for a brace of EV models based on the German brand’s activesphere, skysphere, urbanpshere and grandsphere concept vehicles.

Upcoming EVs on the SAIC-developed platform in the pipeline include the IM Motor L7 sedan and LS7 SUV, which have been said to be scheduled for launch in China in 2025 badged as MG models. These have been said to be offered with single-motor RWD or dual-motor AWD powertrains, the latter boasting up to 577 PS and 725 Nm of torque.

The L7 packs a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery while the LS7 has a slightly larger 100 kWh battery pack, while claimed battery range on the CLTC testing protocol is claimed to be 675 km and 660 km, respectively.

The L7 sedan has been revealed to measure 5098mm long, 1960mm wide and 1485mm tall, while the LS7 measures 5049mm long, 2002mm wide, and 1731mm tall, with the SUV weighing a claimed 2,630 kg according to Car Expert.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with MyTukar.