Volkswagen starts new model offensive in China

With no less than three concept cars from its three China joint ventures, VW provided a taste of the model offensive that will start in 2025 on the eve of Auto Shanghai. A total of 30 new vehicles are to be launched on the market by 2027.

The three announced VW studies are the ID. AURA from FAW-Volkswagen, the ID. ERA from SAIC-Volkswagen and the ID. EVO from Volkswagen Anhui, the former JAC-Volkswagen.

According to VW, these three concept vehicles are the “representative of a new generation of smart electric vehicles.” They are the harbinger for the 30 new models, including 20 New Energy Vehicles, which will be launched on the Chinese market by the end of 2027, including the series versions of the concept vehicles now presented in Shanghai, as VW emphasizes.

ID. AURA

The ID. Aura is the first concept car based on the Compact Main Platform (CMP) with zonal electronics architecture designed specifically for China. The model, an electric notchback saloon, is aimed “in particular for customers in the price-conscious A-segment.”

On the other hand, there will be no shortage of pioneering technologies: There is talk of a smartphone-like UI/UX concept. “The AI-based humanoid assistant enables seamless control of vehicle functions and infotainment,” says Volkswagen.

Thanks to its AI-supported computing power, the CMP’s highly automated driving system is intended to “set new standards for intelligent and, at the same time, natural driving behaviour.”

ID. EVO

The ID. EVO from Volkswagen Anhui is intended to appeal to “young, lifestyle-conscious buyers who are keen to set themselves apart from the crowd.” The concept car features a striking design, particularly at the front. Narrow headlights and a hard edge at the largely closed front characterise the look.

“The ID. CODE, the car we exhibited in Beijing last year, was the jumping-off point for our new design direction in China,” says Chief Designer Andreas Mindt about the design language. “We have refined this recently and adapted it specifically for each joint venture.”

Technically, the ID. EVO is based on an 800-volt platform (VW is not giving any further details here) and has a zonal electronics architecture. According to the Wolfsburg-based company, this should enable a wide range of digital services and over-the-air updates at short intervals to continuously enhance the customer experience.

ID. ERA

The ID. ERA from SAIC-Volkswagen will be the first VW model with a range extender on board, an EREV (Extended Range Electric Vehicle). This type of drive has recently gained popularity in China and has grown more strongly than purely battery-electric drives, in some cases.

A small combustion engine on board recharges the battery as a generator during the journey. A battery-electric range of 300 kilometers and 700 kilometers from the fuel tank should give a total range of more than 1,000 kilometers.

‘In China, for China’

“The three concept vehicles are the visible outcome of our ‘In China, for China’ strategy. We have thus made all the necessary preparations to remain in pole position among foreign automakers in China,” says Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand.

Thomas Ulbrich, CEO of the Volkswagen China Technology Center (VCTC), adds: “Our goal is to develop our models within 34 months at most. We will launch the right models at the right speed and with the right partners. The three concept vehicles, with their all-electric drive systems for the volume and full-size segments and range extender technology, meet the different technological requirements of Chinese customers.”

The 30 new models and 20 new energy vehicles only apply to the VW brand. At the Group Night in Shanghai, Audi also presented its innovations for the Chinese market, including the A6L e-tron, the long-wheelbase version of the already familiar A6 e-tron based on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric).

However, the first model of the new Chinese subsidiary, AUDI, the E5 Sportback, is likely to attract the most attention at Audi. This was not only designed for China (hence the omission of the four rings at the front and rear), but was also developed in China, together with SAIC. We pay attention to it in a separate article.

Export from China

Volkswagen’s plans to start exporting some VW models from China come as carmakers in China, including Volkswagen, grapple with how to use unused production capacity. Annual demand for cars has stagnated at around 22 million since 2019.

“It is fully clear that VW will not export to the U.S. or Europe (from China) except for the Tavascan. But other markets are open like Asian markets, South America, and the Middle East,” China Chief Ralf Brandstätter said, referring to the Cupra Tavascan, which is subject to EU tariffs.

“They are open to products from China,” he said. “We have competitive models and are approaching exporting from China to these regions.” He did not say which models would be exported from China.

Alongside the CMP, Volkswagen plans a new vehicle platform in China without a joint venture partner for BEVs and EREVs.

“You can’t predict what the share of each type of EV will be in 2030. We need to adapt our platforms to provide this flexibility,” Brandstäter said, adding that the ingredients for success in China included assisted driving capabilities, cost management, and flexibility in drivetrains. “There is no reason why Volkswagen can’t be as fast and competitive as a Chinese startup with this approach,” he concluded.