Volkswagen is embarking on “one of the largest product offensives in its global history,” with a barrage of new China-specific models, previewed by the unveiling of two major electric vehicles (EVs) ahead of the 2026 Beijing Motor Show.
Driven by the ‘In China, For China’ strategy, the new models herald a new era for the Volkswagen Group in China, and are ‘specifically tailored for Chinese customers’.
“In just 36 months, the Volkswagen Group has developed a completely new product portfolio for smart electric vehicles in China,” said Ralf Brandstätter, CEO of Volkswagen Group China.
“The numerous premieres of our brands at the Beijing Motor Show underline the speed and precision of our transformation.”
CarExpert can save you thousands of euros on a new car. Click here to get a lot.
The Group’s efforts will focus on plug-in hybrid, electric and extended-range electric vehicles, with approximately 30 electrified models to enter the market by 2027 and 50 by 2030, including approximately 30 electric-only models.
The first of two Volkswagen-badged models to be unveiled is the Identity card. Aura T6a fully electric mid-size SUV developed and built through the brand’s 35-year-old joint venture with China’s FAW Group, FAW-Volkswagen.
It uses the new locally developed China Electronic Architecture (CEA) that supports intelligent AI-powered driving, which recently debuted on the mid-size ID. Unyx 07 sedan.
The identity card. The Aura T6 will support ‘advanced Level 2 assisted driving’ – likely including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and automated lane changes – and continuous over-the-air (OTA) updates.
The second is the Identity card. Unix 09a five-meter-long electric sedan co-developed with Xpeng in just 24 months and produced by Volkswagen Anhui, Volkswagen’s joint venture with JAC Motors.
Such as the identity card. The Aura T6 is capable of “level two advanced driving assistance”, but also features “high-performance computing” and an intelligent AI assistant.
Although Volkswagen does not have detailed powertrain information for these two new models, the ID. Unyx 08 – also developed in collaboration with Xpeng – offers an 800 V electrical architecture and a choice of 82.4 kWh or 95 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries from CATL.
The five-metre-long SUV, also developed in 24 months, offers a choice of 230 kW single-motor rear-wheel drive or 370 kW twin-motor all-wheel drive, and is equipped with air suspension and adaptive dampers.
The exterior styling shares many design cues with the ID. Unyx 09, including signature LED daytime running lights and a long, sculpted hood, while inside there are dual 15-inch screens and available luxuries such as a 6.7-liter refrigerator with heating and cooling, a 20-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos and heated, ventilated and massaging front seats.
Volkswagen’s newly unveiled models also preview its new ‘Agentic AI for All’ strategy, which will see all vehicles built on the CEA equipped with a built-in ‘AI Agent’ from the second half of 2026.
This agent is said to include a “locally trained large language model (LLM) as its natural language interface,” which “proactively understands user intentions, performs complex, multi-system actions, and makes contextual decisions to achieve a goal through natural conversations.”
Volkswagen plans to develop this further with the launch of CEA 2.0 in 2027, which will “unify intelligent driving and cockpit experiences on a more powerful central computing platform”. This will likely form the basis of Volkswagen’s “AI-defined vehicle era” in China.
Despite all that, previous comments make it clear that Volkswagen does not expect to take back the sales crown in China, but rather maintain the top spot among foreign brands operating in the country.
BYD overtook Volkswagen as the best-selling brand in China in 2023.
In addition, the Volkswagen Group has previewed new vehicles for the other brands under its umbrella in China. Tasting the electric revival of the budget-oriented Jetta brand, the Jetta
Although Jetta has been operating in China since 2019, the Group hopes the brand can penetrate China’s entry-level electrified vehicle segment by leveraging its previous success in selling affordable internal combustion models. Four new Jetta models are planned for launch in 2028.
Finally, the second model and first SUV was developed under Audi’s China-only AUDI brand: the E7X electric SUV, developed in collaboration with China’s SAIC. It succeeds the E5 Sportback and offers ‘quattro’ all-wheel drive, two powertrains producing 300 kW or 500 kW of power respectively, and level three ‘highly automated driving capabilities’.
The unveiling of the E7X follows last week’s announcement that Audi and SAIC would establish an Innovation and Technology Center in Shanghai dedicated to the AUDI brand, focusing on “China-specific, intelligent electrification technologies and whole vehicle development,” as well as “AI-powered, immersive smart cabins and advanced driver assistance systems” for the Chinese market.
MORE: Volkswagen kickstarts the model rush in China with three concepts
MORE: Audi promises to build more Chinese AUDI models despite slow sales
MORE: Discover the Volkswagen showroom
