Volkswagen’s EV plans depend on generating variety quickly

• VW reveals ID.UNYX sub-brand aimed at China, planning four vehicles, including SUVs and sedans, as part of the lineup.

• The ID.UNYX, developed in Hefei, China, features a coupe-like profile and relies on the underpinnings and drivetrain of the existing MEB platform.

• The VW Group is in a race to regain some of its market share in China, where it now faces a growing list of local competitors in the electric vehicle sphere.

China-exclusive models are nothing new for European carmakers with joint ventures in the country, who have been offering special versions of existing vehicles as well as new nameplates in the Middle Kingdom for more than two decades.

Thanks to local production and some unique market demands, for almost 20 years the VW Group has been able to market vehicles as long-wheelbase versions of its smaller sedans, called the A4L and A6L, while VW’s line of locally produced models it included Jetta and Passat-based Sedans badged as VW Sagitar and VW Magotan.

More recently, VW launched two versions of the ID.6 SUV in China—a model not available in other markets—in addition to slightly different versions of the ID.4.

The latest in this ever-growing genre is Volkswagen’s ID.UNYX, revealed as a sub-brand of Volkswagen’s existing electric-only ID sub-brand. And the first model is, once again, a slightly more dramatic version of an ID.4 SUV with a coupe-style profile.

It will also remind you a bit of the Cupra Tavascan from another regional Volkswagen sub-brand, as this is essentially a Tavascan with a few small differences.

The ID.UNYX’s specs should also be familiar to anyone who took a look at the ID.4 menu: the model is powered by a 77 kWh battery, offering single and dual motor layouts with 282 or 335 hp. on tap depending on the version you choose. But the longer-range variant is expected to offer 386 miles on the very optimistic CLTC cycle.

The debut model is just subtly different from Volkswagen’s current stylistic repertoire, featuring some sharper creases on the body, along with red details. The ID.UNYX was developed at the automaker’s innovation and development center in Hefei, China.

The story continues

The coupe-style crossover is just the first of four ID.UNYX vehicles planned by VW through 2026, out of a total of 34 models planned for China through 2030, with UNYX also set to offer a unique retail chain conceived as part of new sub brand.

When it comes to just the ID.UNYX sub-brand, VW has hinted that SUVs and sedans will be next.

“With the new ID. UNYX, we are expanding the spectrum of our ID. electric models in China with a cutting-edge product,” said Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen Brand China. “We are combining progressive, confident design with sustainable electric drive and a state-of-the-art user experience.”

However, a pressing question remains: Why does VW need another sub-brand?

It’s worth noting that VW’s fortunes in China, where it has had a presence since 1984 when it became the first Western automaker to establish local production under a joint venture, were very different just a decade ago.

In the early 2010s, VW and its brands still maintained a vast market share, with multiple exclusive brands based on VW’s global platforms, catering to local tastes. At that time, VW’s lineup was sporadically challenged by China’s domestic automakers.

Today, the picture is very different, with VW losing some of its market share to fast-growing Chinese domestic brands, including BYD and Geely.

A big part of the reason, especially in the last five years, is EVs and new energy vehicles, which is how hybrids, PHEV and BEV are categorized in China. More recent brands such as Nio and XPeng, in addition to Tesla, have caught the attention of the local market.

VW is now seen as having to play catch-up in this New Energy Vehicle arena, with variations across its ID lineup seen as one of the easiest ways to quickly create more visual variety across its lineup.

“Lifestyle elements such as the gold Volkswagen emblem on the front and the vehicle’s gold lettering are distinctive features – the color of these badges is associated with the high quality, reliability and safety of a Volkswagen in China,” says the automaker.

It remains to be seen whether ID.UNYX will be able to recapture some of VW’s dwindling dominance in China’s ultra-competitive EV space, but it’s clear we’ll see a greater variety of battery-electric VW models in China than anywhere else in the world. next years.

VW should offer more electric models in North America, or is the current crop of EVs adequate for the demand present in this market? Let us know what you think in the comments below.