Volkswagen, like pretty much all foreign brands, has really been struggling in China in recent years. The whole German auto industry is basically in crisis because their cash cow in China has shifted and now prefers buying cool new EVs from Chinese companies.
📌 The Core Development
Well, Volkswagen decided to team up with young Chinese star XPENG in order to design and develop electric vehicles that would be more compelling and competitive in the Chinese market, and one of those EVs is now coming to market and looks wicked cool and competitive!
The new ID. Unyx 09 has a range of 755 km (469 miles) according to the CLTC rating system, and ranges from 179,900 yuan ($26,939) for the Ultra version to 249,900 yuan ($37,421) for the Max version (and in between them is the Flagship version for 219,900 yuan/$32,929). You can get it as a single-motor sedan or a dual-motor sedan, with the model falling into the midsize class or the large sedan class depending on who you ask.
🔍 Background & Sector Context
“The ID. Unyx 09’s front fascia features a closed grille, slim headlights, and the iconic Volkswagen logo. High-tech lighting features include DLP high-definition matrix projection headlights and crystal laser-engraved interactive LED units, which can project lane-guidance light carpets and vehicle-width markers to enhance nighttime safety,” CarNewsChina shares.
The vehicle is powered by the VLA large-model intelligent driving assistance system, supporting advanced features such as custom parking, remote parking, and trace-back reversing.” That VLA (Vision-Language-Action) system comes courtesy of XPENG.
📊 Industry & Real-World Impact
The car also includes a 91.963 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery from CATL, 5C ultra-fast charging, and a dual-chamber air suspension system.
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🔮 Strategic Outlook & What Lies Ahead
What do you think? Can it sell well in China? Can it help spur on a revival for Volkswagen in the largest car market in the world? And, oh, by the way, can we get that car somewhere outside of China at some point?
