Audi and Chinese partner FAW have announced a plan to produce a plug-in hybrid car for the Chinese market. Will they be able to extend this to other markets?

The proposal is based on the long-wheelbase version of the Audi A6. The A6 e-tron will be specially developed for China.

It will have a 50km range when operating on the battery alone. Audi says the A6 e-tron is equipped with the latest battery technology. It is expected to be based on the concept revealed in 2012 (pictured in gallery). It will have a combined output of 208hp, a 2.0 liter TFSI petrol engine with electric motor with a peak output of 70kW.

The study from 2012 featured a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery located in a collision protected space at the rear of the vehicle.

“We are shaping the future of electric mobility in China,” stated company boss Rupert Stadler. “Audi and FAW have been cooperating closely for more than 25 years. Together, we have built up the premium segment in China. Now we are cooperating on the next generation of automobiles,” said Zhang Pijie, President of FAW-Volkswagen.