Volkswagen reveals intelligent EV category ID. UX at Beijing auto show

German auto giant Volkswagen unveiled a new smart electric vehicle category — the ID. UX that will bear a golden VW logo — at the ongoing Beijing auto show, with a focus on appealing to Chinese users interested in lifestyle, digital travel experiences and self-expression.

Yang Fang, CEO of Volkswagen (Anhui) Digital Sales and Service Company, said: "ID. UX's mission is to emotionalize the Volkswagen brand. U represents uniqueness and X signifies infinite possibilities, showing our commitment to creating marvelous user experiences."

ID. UX aims to deliver a distinctive experience to users, centered around expressive design, personalized experience and engaging innovation.

Customized to meet the daily driving requirements of Chinese users, the company said that ID. UX strives to transform the car into a truly smart companion. An example is the intelligent voice assistant, featuring an advanced large language model (LLM) and customizable features.

The first model under the new category, ID. Unyx, an electric SUV, debuted at the auto show and is expected to hit the Chinese market later this year.

The launch of ID. UX will expand Volkswagen's electric lineup. By 2027, there will be five ID. UX models covering SUV, sedan and other segments. Two of them will be developed with Chinese EV startup Xpeng.

With ID. UX, Volkswagen's ID. series will expand to 16 electric models by the end of the decade.

The ID. Unyx is built on Volkswagen's MEB platform and designed by Volkswagen's global research and development teams. Subsequent ID. UX models will be led by Volkswagen (China) Technology Co and based on the "In China, For China" strategy, including the two being codeveloped with Xpeng, said Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen China Passenger Cars Brand, in an interview last week.

Volkswagen has set up an intelligent connected electric vehicle hub in Hefei, Anhui province, dedicated to the production, R&D, testing, sales and service of these vehicles. The hub will enable the company to bring technologies to market around 30 percent faster.

The core of the hub is the VCTC, the German carmaker's largest development facility outside Germany. Earlier in April, VCTC received a 2.5 billion euros ($2.67 billion) investment from its parent company Volkswagen AG to expand its innovation capabilities.

Mecha said the priority of ID. UX this year is to showcase its value and innovative approach to Chinese customers, rather than setting specific sales targets.

He said that in the highly competitive Chinese auto market, where new products flood the market almost daily, diversifying the portfolio is key. While Volkswagen's electric car sales are a small part of the total and fuel-powered cars still dominate, this helps balance fluctuations in the electric vehicle market.

In 2023, Volkswagen AG delivered 3.24 million vehicles in China, with 191,800 units being pure electric.

Yang said: "Volkswagen has 50 million existing customers in China, representing an unparalleled resource compared to any other company. We're committed to leveraging the customer base to serve our users effectively.

"Currently, two-thirds of our users are making additional or replacement purchases. Such a strong customer base will enhance our ability to compete effectively," Yang said.

The Volkswagen Group plans to launch 30 new models in China by 2030, featuring internal combustion, plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains. Sales are expected to reach 4 million units by that year in China.