Volkswagen prepares the launch of the ID. UNYX 08an electric SUV developed together with the Chinese firm Xpeng that will hit the market in 2026. For years, Volkswagen enjoyed a large presence in China. However, currently, firms such as Xiaomi or BYD have overtaken them to the right with their proposals and technology. The German group has had no choice but join forces with the Chinese Xpeng to continue competing in this very competitive market. And the greatest exponent of this alliance is this same car of which we are going to tell you all the details.
Strategy to come back in China. The German brand has lost positions in this market since 2020, when electric vehicles began their massive expansion in the country. Now it is trying to recover the lost ground against local manufacturers such as BYD and Geely through this technological alliance with Xpengwhich provides its G9 platform and its connectivity and driving assistance systems.
Design speed. The ID. UNYX 08 was completed in 30 months, a time that according to Volkswagen It is more than 30% lower than usual. This acceleration responds to what the company calls “Chinese speed”, a concept that reflects its need to adapt to the pace of the local market. The German manufacturer affirms having managed to “fully integrate into China’s automotive ecosystem” thanks to local alliances and its own research and development capabilities.
The figures of the new SUV. The vehicle measures 5 meters long, 1,954 meters wide and between 1,672 and 1,688 meters high, with a wheelbase of 3,030 meters. These dimensions exceed those of the Xpeng G9, the model on whose platform it was built. It will be available in two configurations: a 230 kW rear motor or dual motor with 140 kW front and 230 kW rear. will ride LFP batteries from CATL, with a range of more than 700 kilometers according to the CLTC cycle, and will support 800-volt fast charging.
Technology at the service of the Chinese driver. The ID. UNYX 08 will incorporate L2++ level driving assistance with the capacity for autonomous operation “from parking to parking” both in the city and on highways. It will also have OTA (Over-the-Air) updates and an artificial intelligence assistant based on advanced language models. Volkswagen presents it as “its most intelligent model to date.”
The plan to get back into the fight. This SUV is the first of the two models agreed between Volkswagen and Xpeng in 2023. It will be assembled in collaboration with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group, a partner with which Volkswagen created its first joint venture in China in 2017 dedicated exclusively to new energy vehicles. The ID family. UNYX, which already includes the 06 (a compact SUV) and the recently unveiled 07 (an electric sedan), thus expands into the medium-large SUV segment.
What’s at stake. For Volkswagen, this launch represents much more than a new product: it is a litmus test on its ability to compete with Chinese manufacturers in its own territory. The Asian market has become the main battlefield of electromobility worldwide, and the German brand needs to demonstrate that it can offer cutting-edge technology without losing its identity. We’ll see if the ID. UNYX 08 convinces drivers in China. If you do so, it will set the course of your strategy in the country.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings