730 km of range and 503 HP: here’s the Volkswagen ‘electric Passat’ we won’t see in Spain

21/09/2026 14:30

Updated to

21/09/2026 14:30

While Europe faces a crisis that seems set to affect SEAT—what will happen to its workers?—Volkswagen is becoming an increasingly powerful brand in the world’s largest car market: China.

It already produces cheap electric SUVs there that could reach Europe and Spain, and it also manufactures, with its partner Xpeng—and in a factory that has produced 100,000 cars in just 2 years—a sedan that could rightly be called the Chinese version of the Volkswagen Passat. It will go on sale before the end of the month, and in a big way: with nothing less than 503 horsepower.

730 km of range for this ‘electric Passat’

It is called the Volkswagen ID. UNYX 09, and at 5,081 meters in length, it is an electric sedan slightly larger than the Passat that Volkswagen still sells in Spain — which measures 4,92 meters — and larger than the Passat at 5,02 meters that Volkswagen sells in China as a plug-in hybrid with a range of 1,300 kilometers.

The ID. UNYX 09 is the second electric vehicle developed by Volkswagen in partnership with its partner Xpeng, following the electric SUV ID. UNIX 08. Compared to that model, this “electric Passat” is 1.98 meters wide and up to 1.526 meters tall, with a wheelbase of 3.03 meters.

It will go on sale in China on September 24th, as revealed by a post from the brand on Chinese social media. It will be available with an 800 V platform and two powertrains: one single-motor rear-wheel drive version with 313 CV, and another dual-motor all-wheel drive version delivering 370 kW / 503 CV.

Depending on the powertrain, this electric version of the Passat will weigh either 2,207 kg or 2,307 kg. Nevertheless, the most powerful model will reach a top speed of 200 km/h.

That weight will also depend, logically, on its batteries, which will be supplied by the world’s leading specialist: CATL. As for their capacity, this UNYX 09 can be equipped with one battery of 82 kWh and another of 95 kWh. With these, its range will reach 630 km and 730 km respectively. And this is always under the optimistic Chinese homologation cycle, CLTC.

It will never make it to Spain

In addition to these features, Volkswagen Anhui—the Chinese subsidiary of Volkswagen that manufactures it—stated that this “electric Passat” will come equipped with an autonomous driving assistance system and an artificial intelligence assistant. Along with this technology, which is standard across the entire range, the UNYX 09 will offer additional options depending on its trim level, such as a panoramic glass roof, Bremboo sports brakes, or tires up to 21 inches in diameter.

That said, we will never see it in Spain, as Volkswagen has repeatedly stated that the UNYX range is designed for the Chinese market, taking into account the preferences of its customers there.