Volkswagen has in China what it doesn’t want for Europe: 5C charging, a range of 755 km, and a price for the ID.Polo

Volkswagen continues to develop its new lineup for China, where its partnership with Xpeng is resulting in models that differ significantly from those we see in Europe. The latest addition is the ID. Unyx 09, an electric sedan that has just officially entered the market, offering features that are difficult to comprehend in Europe due to the high price set by the German manufacturer.

Volkswagen launched this new model on October 24. It is the second vehicle developed together with Xpeng following the SUV ID. Unyx 08, and it comes in three trims with one or two engine options. Its design combines a sporty body style with a highly digital interior, while many of the driving assistance features are provided by its Chinese partner.

Volkswagen ID. Unyx 09: a premium sedan equipped with Xpeng’s technology

Exteriorly, the ID. Unyx 09 features a closed front end, narrow headlights, and a sloping roof that gives it a coupe-like profile. It measures 5.08 meters in length, 1.98 meters in width, and between 1.51 and 1.53 meters in height depending on the configuration, with a wheelbase of 3.03 meters. Thus, it is a car of considerable size, complete with 21-inch tires and Brembo brakes that enhance its sporty appearance.

The lighting also plays a key role. The Volkswagen features matrix headlights with high-definition DLP projection technology and interactive LED elements with laser engraving. These allow projections on the asphalt to indicate lane markings or show the car’s width, providing assistance to make night driving easier, especially when passing through narrow areas.

Inside, there’s a two-spoke multifunction steering wheel, a separate instrument cluster display, and a floating central screen with an artificial intelligence assistant. Additionally, there’s a projection system on the windshield that delivers an 85-inch equivalent display via augmented reality. The central console includes wireless charging for phones and hidden cup holders, with the interior design focusing many of its functions on screens.

Xpeng provides the VLA driving assistance system, which uses a Turing chip with a processing capacity of 750 TOPS. Among the announced features are parking in positions defined by the user, remote parking, and the ability to reverse through a previously traveled path. These are assistance functions that enhance the car’s maneuverability without being confused with unmonitored autonomous driving.

The single-engine version produces 230 kW (313 HP). The all-wheel-drive variant combines a front engine of 140 kW (190 HP) with a rear engine of 230 kW (313 HP). The provided information does not detail the acceleration times, though it mentions a dual-chamber pneumatic suspension supplied by Vibracoustic, a particularly interesting feature for a car of this size.

Both configurations use a 91.9 kWh LFP battery pack supplied by CATL, offering 755 kilometers of CLTC range for the single-motor version and 705 kilometers for the all-wheel-drive version. According to our estimates, they would likely achieve around 657 and 613 kilometers respectively under WLTP standards.

Charging is one of the main selling points of the ID. Unyx 09. It supports 5C charging technology, and according to Volkswagen, it can recover 250 kilometers of range in just five minutes. The launch materials do not specify the time required to reach 80% charge from 10%, a detail that would help assess how well it maintains power during a full stop.

In China, the range is available in three trims: the ID. Unyx 09 Ultra starts at 179,900 yuan (24,096 euros); the Flagship version costs 219,900 yuan (29,454 euros); and the Max trim retails for 249,900 yuan (33,472 euros).

Another example of Volkswagen going all out in China, where its sales are collapsing and competition is fierce, while in Europe it focuses on fighting emission regulations and the 2035 ban on internal combustion engine cars, offering us much less advanced vehicles at more than double the price.