VW

ID. Unyx 07: The Chinese electric VW that costs €13,900, but in China

Volkswagen is among the European automakers most dependent on sales in China, and these are not increasing; on the contrary. Hence, the German manufacturer has been creating a range specifically to compete in the Chinese market, dominated by more than a hundred local brands, where affordable prices are a mandatory asset. The latest example of this range is the ID. Unyx 07, a coupe-style sedan that claims a length of 4.8 meters, but is offered at a "bargain price".

The ID. Unyx 07 is the latest addition to this range created specifically by the German manufacturer for China, becoming the third model in the family, after the ID. Unyx 06 and the ID. Unyx 08. The first is essentially a renamed Cupra Tavascan, since the Spanish brand is still relatively unknown in the Chinese market, while the second is a large SUV.

The IDs. Unyx vehicles are manufactured in China by the Volkswagen-Anhui joint venture, which has essentially linked the German brand to the Chinese company JAC Motors since 2017. Initially, this group, owned by the Chinese government and known locally as Anhui Jianghuai Automobile, held 50% of the joint venture, but more recently the government allowed foreign shareholders to increase their stake, allowing VW to hold 75%.

The ID. Unyx 07 impresses not only with its price, but also with its quality and technological sophistication, even surpassing what we usually find in models produced in Europe by VW. The explanation is simple, but painful for those accustomed to relying on German dominance in automotive technology, since this Unyx 07 was developed using technology belonging to the Chinese company Xpeng.

At 4.853 m long and with a wheelbase of 2.826 m, the new electric car designed (for now) only for China is 10.8 cm shorter than the VW ID. 7 and has a wheelbase 14.5 cm shorter. Interestingly, the new ID. Unyx 07 is closer in size to the Passat with combustion engines, as its wheelbase is only 1.1 cm longer, despite being 6.4 cm longer overall, space that ends up being mainly occupied by the more voluminous mechanics.

The ID. Unyx 07 was conceived based on VW's MEB platform, mounting only one rear motor with 231 hp, powered by a 60 kWh battery, which allows it to advertise 558 km according to the Chinese CLTC method, which should correspond to 446 km in the more rigorous European WLTP method. However, the great advantage in the IDs. Unyx is not on the platform, but on the China Electronic Architecture developed in collaboration with Xpeng, which allows reducing the number of control modules by about 30%.

The ID. Unyx 07 has started sales in China, with the most affordable version being offered for 129,900 yuan (€16,430). But early adopters will be able to benefit from the launch price of 109,900 yuan, which reduces the value to the equivalent of just €13,900.

 

Autonews