SAIC Audi's Q5 e-tron has a pricing range that overlaps significantly with the Nio ES6, but the specs look lower.

(Image credit: SAIC Audi)

SAIC Audi's first all-electric model, the Q5 e-tron, went on sale in China today, after opening for pre-sale in February.

SAIC is Audi's second Chinese partner after FAW Group to produce cars in the country. The Q5 e-tron is slated to be a luxury mid-size all-electric SUV, based on Volkswagen's MEB platform.

The model's starting price range is RMB 376,500 ($55,760) - 479,500. For comparison, the ES6 electric SUV from local Chinese luxury brand Nio has a starting price range of RMB 368,000 to 478,000.

The SAIC Q5 e-tron measures 4,786 mm in length, 1,860 mm in width and 1,675 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,965 mm, and offers six- and seven-seat options.

The Nio ES6 is larger, measuring 4,850 mm in length, 1,965 mm in width and 1,758/ 1,731 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,900 mm. The model is only available with a 5-seat option.

The SAIC Q5 e-tron features a 10.25-inch LCD instrument screen and an 11.6-inch touchscreen center console.

The model is available in 40 e-tron and 50 e-tron quattro drive versions, the former being a rear-wheel-drive version with 150kW and 310Nm of torque and the latter being a four-wheel-drive version with 225kW of power and 460Nm of torque.

The Nio ES6 is offer only in dual-motor four-wheel-drive versions with a maximum power of 320 kW and 400 kW, and maximum torque of 610 Nm and 725 Nm respectively.

The SAIC Q5 e-tron is equipped with a ternary lithium battery pack with a total capacity of 83.4 kWh, offering a maximum CLTC range of 560 km.

The Nio ES6 supports battery swap and has a maximum NEDC range of 465 km with the 75-kWh standard range battery pack and 610 km with the 100-kWh long-range battery pack.

From January to April, the Nio ES6 sold 15,498 units, making it the ninth best-selling model among all new energy SUVs in China, according to a ranking released earlier this month by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

BYD Song ranked first with 95,304 units, while Tesla Model Y ranked second with 75,641 units. The EX1 from Easyjet New Energy Automobile Co Ltd (eGT), a three-way joint venture between Renault, Nissan and Dongfeng, was 15th with 9,395 units, while Audi did not have any models on the list.