Volkswagen to Launch 13 New Energy Vehicles in China by 2026, Accelerating Electrification Drive

On April 8, Volkswagen held its "Brand Night" event in Beijing, announcing that its “In China, for China” strategy has entered a large-scale implementation phase and unveiling its most extensive new energy vehicle (NEV) product plan in the Chinese market to date: 13 new NEV models will be launched by 2026, covering battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs); by 2029, the company will have introduced more than 30 new NEV models in total. Three core new models made their debut at the event. The ID. UNY 08, Volkswagen’s first full-size BEV SUV built on an 800V architecture produced by Volkswagen Anhui, has opened for pre-orders. With a CLTC-rated range of 730 km and the ability to add 150 km of range in just five minutes of fast charging, it is priced between RMB 239,900 and RMB 299,900 and will officially launch on April 16. Simultaneously, SAIC Volkswagen unveiled its full-size range-extended SUV, the ID. ERA9X, which offers over 400 km of pure electric range and a combined range exceeding 1,600 km. Priced from RMB 329,800 to RMB 379,800, it is scheduled to hit the market on April 25. FAW-Volkswagen also debuted the ID. AURA T6, its first model developed on the locally tailored CEA (China Electronic Architecture), equipped with an enhanced L2-level advanced driver-assistance system, which will make its official public debut at the Beijing Auto Show. Volkswagen is integrating its three joint ventures—Volkswagen Anhui, SAIC Volkswagen, and FAW-Volkswagen—to build a differentiated yet synergistic product portfolio. Volkswagen Anhui will focus on younger consumers and plans to launch three ID. UNY series BEVs by 2026. SAIC Volkswagen will center its efforts on the ID. ERA lineup and aims to introduce six NEV models this year across multiple powertrain configurations. FAW-Volkswagen, targeting family users through its ID. AURA series, will roll out four NEV models this year. All three lineups will carry the unified “ID.” badge, creating a cohesive yet distinct brand identity. On the technology front, Volkswagen is advancing localized R&D through Volkswagen Automotive Technology (China) Co., Ltd. based in Hefei. This R&D center, with an investment of approximately €3.5 billion and over 3,000 experts, together with the R&D teams from the joint ventures, brings Volkswagen’s total R&D workforce in China to more than 7,000—the largest outside Germany. The integrated R&D system covers full-stack technologies including electronic-electrical architecture, battery systems, intelligent cockpits, and driver-assistance features, enabling product development cycles as short as 24 months. Additionally, Volkswagen introduced two new technology platforms—"Xingyun ZhiXing" (for intelligent driving) and "Yunqi ZhiCang" (for intelligent cockpit)—which combine German engineering standards with cutting-edge Chinese smart technologies. Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, stated that China is Volkswagen’s largest single market globally and a key trendsetter for the industry, adding that this product offensive represents one of the brand’s largest strategic investments worldwide in its history. Another CEO, Zizek Qi, emphasized that the fusion of German quality and local innovation forms a core competitive advantage, and that Volkswagen will meet the diverse needs of Chinese customers through its multi-powertrain strategy.