An electric sedan measuring 4.8 meters in China for 13,000 euros, an ID.Polo starting at 25,000 euros in Europe

The latest example comes from within Volkswagen’s own lineup. Jetta, the brand under FAW-Volkswagen, has just started pre-orders in China for its new M6, an electric sedan aimed at entering the market, set to arrive at dealerships in Asia in mid-October.

The issue arises when we compare Volkswagen’s products in China with those in Europe. The Jetta M6 is a sedan 4.81 meters long, which is 73 centimeters longer than the ID.Polo. Two models in different segments, yet the smaller one costs almost twice as much as the larger one.

The Jetta M6 has just begun pre-orders in three versions: the 465 Pro, the 555 Max, and the 555 Ultra, with prices of 80,800, 90,800, and 99,800 yuan respectively. At current exchange rates, this is approximately 10,600, 11,900, and 13,100 euros respectively.

The starting price is thus less than half of Volkswagen ID.Polo Match’s official price of 25,990 euros in Spain. Specifically, the cheapest Jetta M6 costs about 59% less than Volkswagen’s entry-level electric car in Europe. Even the most equipped version of the M6 remains at roughly half the official price of the ID.Polo.

4.8-meter electric sedan at the price of a European SUV

The interior also shows just how much Jetta has aimed to position the M6 as something more than a basic electric car. The cabin features an enveloping design and offers three color combinations. The driver has access to a fully digital instrument panel, with a 15.6-inch screen featuring 2.5K resolution at the center of the dashboard.

This reminds us of the strategy adopted by some European brands, which release entry-level models priced above 20,000 euros without a central screen, forcing customers to use their smartphones instead.

This is complemented by ambient lighting in 256 colors, heating and cooling via heat pump, and various connectivity features. The higher-end versions also include driver assistance functions powered by the Horizon Journey 6M processor and a system based solely on cameras.

The system offers assisted navigation both on roads and in cities. Parking assistance with memory functions is also announced. Given its price, this level of technology makes it particularly difficult to align with the traditional image of an affordable electric car.

Regarding the propulsion system, the Jetta M6 uses a single electric motor located in the front axle. There are two power levels available: 113 kW, equivalent to 154 hp, and 145 kW, equivalent to 197 hp. The less powerful version can reach 166 km/h, while the more powerful one reaches 172 km/h.

The range is between 465 and 555 kilometers under the CLTC standard. As is common with this Chinese certification, these figures are not directly comparable to those obtained under the European WLTP cycle. According to our estimates, the range would be around 405 kilometers under WLTP for the base model and 485 kilometers for the more powerful version.

Here too, there is an interesting difference compared to the ID.Polo. Volkswagen offers the European version with a 37 kWh LFP chemistry battery for the 116 and 135 CV versions, while a higher-capacity 52 kWh NMC battery is used in the 211 CV version. The approved range currently reaches 449 kilometers under WLTP standards.

Regarding the Jetta M6, some important technical details are still unknown, especially the exact capacity of its batteries and the final charging figures. Jetta has confirmed both ranges and the two available power outputs, but a complete technical specification will have to wait until its commercial launch.

And then we return to price. The Jetta M6 465 Pro costs around 10,600 euros at current exchange rates, while the 555 Max is priced at about 11,900 euros, and the 555 Ultra, the most equipped version, costs roughly 13,100 euros.

The Volkswagen ID.Polo, on the other hand, has an official price of 25,990 euros for the 116 CV Match model in Spain.

But the scale of the difference cannot be ignored either. Even when comparing the most expensive Jetta M6 to the lowest official price of the ID.Polo, the gap remains enormous, not to mention that it’s a significantly larger Chinese car.

It is precisely this situation that explains much of the challenge facing the European industry. The problem is no longer just that China can manufacture cheap electric cars. Its manufacturers are now starting to offer larger cars with more power and advanced technology at prices that in Europe we associate with much smaller and simpler vehicles.

The Jetta M6 is particularly noteworthy because it is backed by FAW-Volkswagen, a company directly linked to the Volkswagen Group. The Jetta brand aims to use this new lineup of models to grow in the Chinese market and plans to launch five models by 2028, four of them being electric vehicles.

The question this launch raises is not whether a 10,600 euro Jetta M6 could be sold in Spain tomorrow for the same amount. Obviously, not. The interesting question is what would need to change for a car of this size and specification level to reach prices in Europe that are already achievable in China.

Because while Volkswagen presents the ID.Polo as one of its major steps toward making electric cars more accessible in Europe, its own Jetta brand has just shown from China that there is another price tier. And the difference, at least on paper, is enormous.