'Different personalities, one Volkswagen', ID. UNYX range aims to rally youth

Volkswagen Anhui presented three ID. UNYX models at the 2026 Beijing auto show on Friday, highlighting its effort to bring Volkswagen brand's engineering strengths together with China-developed smart EV technologies for younger Chinese customers.

Among the models, the ID. UNYX 07 made its debut as the first Volkswagen brand model equipped with the China Electronic Architecture (CEA). The lineup also included the newly launched ID. UNYX 08, a fully-connected full-size electric SUV positioned as the flagship model of the ID. UNYX family, and the upgraded 2026 ID. UNYX 06.

The lineup reflects Volkswagen Anhui's broader product push in 2026, as the ID. UNYX range expands across key EV segments with models built around smart technologies, distinctive design and Volkswagen's safety and quality standards.

Stefan Timmermann, CEO of Volkswagen (Anhui) Digital Sales and Services Co, said ID. UNYX is designed for younger customers who want to stand out, giving it a distinct design language and brand identity within Volkswagen's China operations.

"Different personalities, one Volkswagen," he said, adding that Volkswagen Anhui has focused on electrified products from the outset and plays a distinct role within the Volkswagen brand's China operations.

Francis Liu, COO of Volkswagen (Anhui) Digital Sales and Services Co, said ID. UNYX's positioning is supported by products that seek to combine Volkswagen's strengths in safety, quality, durability and driving refinement with smart cockpit and assisted-driving functions expected by Chinese EV buyers.

The ID. UNYX 07 reflects that product approach. It is an all-electric sedan with coupe-inspired styling, aimed at young users who value smart features, everyday usability and a more engaging driving experience.

Its key technical feature is CEA, a locally developed zonal electronic architecture designed for the Chinese market. Volkswagen Anhui said the architecture reduces the number of electronic control units by about 30 percent, lowering system complexity while supporting full-vehicle over-the-air updates.

The company said development of CEA and a China-specific driver-assistance solution was completed in 18 months, the fastest timeline among comparable Volkswagen projects.

Stefan Timmermann said CEA can help the vehicle respond more swiftly and precisely to user voice commands, such as lowering a window halfway by voice command. He added that the architecture can also help reduce hardware costs and support more efficient product development.

The faster development cycle does not come at the expense of Volkswagen's safety and durability standards, Stefan added. New models are required to complete 3.5 million kilometers of real-road testing before market launch, he said, adding that Volkswagen also conducts certain safety tests above local regulatory requirements, including rear-impact testing at higher speeds than China's mandatory standard. He said Volkswagen goes beyond required standards in its markets to ensure safety, reliability and quality.

The ID. UNYX 07 also emphasizes space and everyday usability. It is 4,853 millimeters long, 1,852 mm wide and 1,566 mm tall, with a 2,826-mm wheelbase. Its standard trunk capacity is 711 liters and can be expanded to 1,580 liters when the rear seats are folded.

Inside, the model features a 10-inch instrument screen, a 15-inch 2K central touchscreen, a 12-inch 2K front passenger entertainment display and a 27-inch augmented reality head-up display.

For assisted driving, the model is equipped with six high-definition cameras, one millimeter-wave radar unit and 12 ultrasonic radars. It supports functions including highway navigation-assisted driving, adaptive cruise control, lane centering, emergency braking and memory parking. A lidar-based assisted-driving package that supports urban navigation-assisted driving is expected to become available by the end of 2026.

The ID. UNYX 08, meanwhile, was among the key exhibits at Volkswagen Anhui's booth in Beijing. Launched on April 16, the fully-connected full-size electric SUV is 5,000 mm long, 1,954 mm wide and 1,688 mm tall, with a 3,030-mm wheelbase.

Volkswagen Anhui said the SUV is aimed at young families seeking space, connectivity, safety and a refined electric driving experience. Its design features gold-colored elements and interactive LED lighting, while a wolf emblem inspired by Wolfsburg, Germany, where Volkswagen is headquartered, is integrated into the high-mounted brake light.

The ID. UNYX 08 is equipped with dual AI Turing chips with a total computing power of 1,500 trillion operations per second. The model also has 26 sensors, including 11 cameras, three millimeter-wave radars and 12 ultrasonic radars.

The company said the SUV's assisted-driving functions are designed to cover parking, highway and urban scenarios, helping drivers deal with more daily driving situations. Inside, the SUV features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P cockpit chip, a 10.25-inch instrument display and dual 15-inch 2.4K screens.

The model is built on an 800-volt silicon carbide platform and supports direct current fast charging of up to 315 kilowatts. Volkswagen Anhui said it can add up to 150 km of range in five minutes under suitable charging conditions.

The SUV also features dual-chamber air suspension, DCC adaptive chassis control and Brembo front four-piston fixed calipers, underlining its focus on driving refinement. Volkswagen Anhui said it uses a cage-style body structure, with high-strength steel accounting for 80 percent of the body, while its battery pack has undergone 436 safety tests.

The upgraded 2026 ID. UNYX 06 further broadens the family's product coverage. The model features highway navigation-assisted driving, a new human-machine interface system, an augmented reality head-up display, a front passenger display, a 360-degree transparent chassis view and a range of 528 km under the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle.

Beyond products, Volkswagen Anhui is also expanding its sales, service and charging network in China. The company expects to expand to 280 stores in more than 100 cities across China by the end of this year, supported by a direct-sales and agency model designed to make pricing and services more transparent and consistent.

Volkswagen Anhui said its public charging service network covers more than 360 cities and gives users access to more than 120,000 selected charging points. The company has also launched an after-sales service program for ID. UNYX users, including door-to-door services, roadside assistance and other support.

The lineup underscores Volkswagen Anhui's effort to build a more complete intelligent EV portfolio in China, as it seeks to strengthen ID. UNYX's appeal among younger buyers who value technology, design and safety.

wangyuchen@chinadaily.com.cn