Volkswagen is preparing to launch the ID Unyx 07, a mid-size electric saloon that will debut a new Chinese-developed platform and broaden the company’s electric range in the world’s largest car market. The model’s main task is to be perceived as a Chinese rather than a German Volkswagen to help resurrect sliding sales.
To do so, the vehicle is produced by Volkswagen Anhui, a joint venture between the German carmaker and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC), in which Volkswagen holds a majority stake. As is often the case with new Chinese cars, the model has leaked in regulatory filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). That can only mean that market approval is imminent.
New platform
The ID Unyx 07 is the second model under Volkswagen’s China-only Unyx sub-brand, following the compact SUV ID Unyx 06. Unlike that earlier model, which shared much of its underpinnings with the Cupra Tavascan, the 07 is understood to sit on a new electrical architecture designed specifically for Chinese models.
The car will mark the first time Volkswagen has launched an electric model developed entirely around domestic technology. And for good reason, as Chinese customers are increasingly turning their backs on Western brands in favor of locally made cars from domestic brands. The technical details of the architecture are not yet known.
Illuminated logos
At 4.85 metres long, the saloon is slightly larger than a Tesla Model 3. It will utilize a single 170 kW motor – equivalent to 228 horsepower – powered by a lithium-iron-phosphate battery from Gotion, one of China’s major cell suppliers. The car’s top speed is listed at 160 km/h and its curb weight at just over two tonnes.
Externally, the design follows the same smooth, cab-forward silhouette as Volkswagen’s global ID series, but with sharper lines, distinctive LED lighting, and a revised front fascia intended to wow specifically Chinese buyers. For further appeal, the model will also offer illuminated Volkswagen logos at the front and rear.
Although its proportions and nameplate suggest links to the European ID.7, the Unyx 07 diverges significantly from it. It is shorter, narrower, and taller than the ID.7, reflecting Volkswagen’s intention to cater to Chinese customers’ preferences for roomier interiors and higher rooflines.
Built in Heifei
Volkswagen Anhui was established in 2017 and became Volkswagen’s first Chinese joint venture dedicated to new-energy vehicles. After increasing its ownership stake to 75 percent in 2020, Volkswagen rebranded the operation and constructed a new MEB-platform factory in Hefei. However, using a different platform, the Unyx 07 will be built there, joining the Unyx 06 SUV.
The carmaker is under growing pressure to regain ground in China’s rapidly evolving EV sector, where local manufacturers have overtaken Western brands in both sales and innovation. The Unyx 07 forms part of a broader strategy to roll out three new Volkswagen Anhui models, including both SUVs and sedans.
By deepening its localisation and supply partnerships – including battery deals with CATL and Gotion – Volkswagen hopes to close the technological gap with domestic competitors. In many ways, the ID Unyx 07 serves as a test case for Volkswagen to restore its presence in the increasingly overheated Chinese market.
