Audi is bringing to the market a new all-electric crossover in early 2018, which will be based on the Audi e-tron quattro concept that was unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show (2015 IAA) last week, and possibly named 'Audi Q6 e-tron'. The Audi Q6 e-tron could be built at Audi's plant in Brussels, Belgium. Formerly known as the Volkswagen Vorst plant, the Belgian production site of Volkswagen Group became Audi-branded in 2008.
Audi Brussels currently builds only one model - the Audi A1 and its production is said to be relocated to the Seat plant in Martorell near Barcelona, Spain, when it enters the second generation in 2018 or 2019.
At this juncture, the Belgian government is proposing a €100 million aid package for convincing Audi to build the Audi Q6 e-tron in the Brussels plant to keep its factory running. Mr. Johan Van Overtveldt, Finance Minister of Belgium, told over Radio 1 that this package increases the chances of Audi bringing its forthcoming electric model's production to Belgium.
Spain and Hungary are also in the race. Audi models are built in the aforementioned Seat plant as well as in the plant in Gyor, Hungary. Labour costs in Hungary are two to three times lower than in Belgium but the €100 million incentive would be tempting. The final decision from Audi about which plant the production will be allocated to, could come in the second half of October.
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