“We are placing people at the focus of our thinking and actions.”

Ms. Wortmann, what was the greatest challenge for Marketing and Sales in the past 12 months and how did you master it?

The last year really demanded a lot from us, that’s for sure. For a long time, everything was looking really good. Based on deliveries, we had the best first half year in the company’s history and, even after the third quarter, deliveries were significantly above the prior-year figure.

Unfortunately the global semiconductor crisis then hit our industry particularly badly and presented us with new challenges once again. Nonetheless, with more than 1.68 million vehicles delivered, we almost matched the previous year’s volume. And in the USA and other core markets, we even surpassed the result for last year. This shows that we are a strong team at Audi – we stand together and see every challenge as an opportunity. We showed flexibility and kept the impact on our customers to a minimum thanks to versatile solutions. The current orders on hand and Incoming orders show how attractive our brand and products are. We are therefore optimistic about the future, because for us the future is an attitude.

The range of electric cars on offer from Audi is growing continually. How are the models being received by customers? What do they value most?

The year 2021 was dominated by electric mobility. We accelerated the transformation with a strong year for fully electric vehicles. By consistently implementing our Roadmap E, we succeeded in increasing deliveries of our fully electric vehicles by 57.5 percent. This high demand rewards our courage to make sustainable change and validates our early decision in favor of emission-free drive systems.

Last year alone we more than doubled the number of fully electric models. We successfully launched the electric spearhead of the portfolio on the market with the Audi e-tron GT. With its outstanding design and impressive performance, it is delighting customers and fans of the brand alike. The Audi Q4 e-tron models are also highly rated and appeal to a broad target group. Their generous interior, excellent everyday usability and powerful charging and driving performance are impressive. Our first fully electric models – the Audi e-tron and Audi e-tron Sportback – have already been successfully established for some time. Over 123,000 vehicles sold since market launch says it all. We will continue to expand this electric portfolio in the future.

Audi will include more than 20 fully electric models in its portfolio by 2026. And, starting in 2027, we will offer our customers electric models in all core segments. My goal is for us to demonstrate that we are progress. It’s clear to us: The future is electric!

A crucial factor with electric models quite apart from the vehicle itself is the charging infrastructure. What is Audi doing for its customers in this area?

We have to look at mobility holistically, beyond the actual vehicle. Our customers need to be convinced by the overall package and not just the vehicles. The individual experience is vital.

That’s why Audi is expanding its infrastructure with strong partnerships and collaboratively across the Group in Europe, Asia and America. For example, the Audi e-tron Charging Service is already available to our customers today at some 320,000 charging points in 26 European countries. And with only one card needed!

The Audi Charging Hub in Nuremberg as well as in Zurich in the future is the next step. This modular urban premium charging concept offers high-power charging and, optionally, a connected lounge area, making charging a premium experience. And Europe’s largest public high-power charging network IONITY, of which we have been a member and joint venture partner since the very outset, is to invest in more than 5,000 additional fast-charging points by 2025.

How is the car trade changing and what role will digital business models play in the future?

The fundamental transformation of the automotive industry is also resulting in a number of changes in the sales area. A central aspect of our strategy is that we are placing people at the focus of our thinking and actions. We call it Human Centricity. In my view, digitalization of the entire customer journey will become the most important distinguishing feature. A holistic customer experience, both online and offline, is critical.

Customers expect seamless interconnection of all contact and information channels. This can only work if we the manufacturer get more closely involved in the direct customer relationship. The introduction of agency sales for our fully electric models in European markets planned starting in 2023 is an elementary pillar for the customer-centered focus of our sales model. In this way, we are further expanding the direct contact to our customers that we have already established in the area of direct selling, for example, with functions on demand. In this respect, the agency model opens up completely new possibilities for us with regard to building a seamless customer journey across all touchpoints.

To this end, we are interlinking our efficient sales network with our digital communication channels. This is the next logical step toward an electric and digital future. Yet digitalization impacts more than just the sales model: The ecosystem surrounding the car, in particular, will be a deciding factor in the future. For this reason, we are adopting a holistic approach to self-driving electric cars. This will touch our customers’ lives in various ways and go beyond classic mobility requirements. For example, we are creating completely new experiences – from charging, navigating, parking and paying through to additional offerings and mobility services through automated driving.