Under the spotlight of the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, traditional giants and new brands competed on the same stage, and the transformation actions of joint venture car companies were particularly eye-catching. SAIC Volkswagen showed the industry its latest achievements in the joint venture 2.0 era with the global debut of its first full-size extended-range SUV concept car ID.ERA.
As the extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) market becomes a new growth point in the industry with an annual compound growth rate of over 60%, ID. ERA, a strategic model that combines German mechanical qualities with Chinese intelligent technology, redefines the value benchmark for full-size SUVs.
The EA211 1.5T EVO II engine it is equipped with can be called the "king" in the field of range extenders. The combination of VTG variable-section turbocharging technology and deep Miller cycle enables this engine to always operate at the optimal breathing rhythm. Combined with the 350-kilometer CLTC pure electric range, it achieves the ultimate energy efficiency of both oil and electricity.
The golden combination of double wishbone front suspension and five-link rear suspension, combined with active rear-wheel steering technology, gives this full-size SUV a handling feel comparable to that of a sedan; and the intelligent drive system that predicts road conditions in milliseconds perfectly combines the German chassis tuning philosophy with intelligent driving assistance.
In the field of styling design, ID.ERA shows the collision and symbiosis of Eastern and Western aesthetics. The designer cleverly combines the German Bauhaus concept with the Eastern Zen philosophy. The body surface is like a rock carved by the wind, with tension in simplicity. The iconic horizontal through-type lamp group and the intelligent light language system form a unique visual symbol. When the laser radar and other technological hardware are integrated with the streamlined body, it not only retains the classic design DNA of the Volkswagen brand, but also sets a new aesthetic standard for the new energy era.
The evolution of the smart cockpit further demonstrates SAIC Volkswagen's profound understanding of the Chinese market. The industry-first Smart Surface design seamlessly integrates the interactive interface into the interior material. When your fingertips touch the hidden touch area on the door panel, the warmth of technology and humanity is transmitted between the flow of light and shadow.
The multi-modal AI model that integrates the end and the cloud can capture the needs of the driver and passengers in real time, and cooperate with the cameras and sensors throughout the vehicle to truly realize the intelligent interaction of "what you see is what you get". In the six-seat layout, the combination of the second-row executive seats and the queen seat of the front passenger perfectly balances luxury texture and pragmatism.
It is worth noting that SAIC Volkswagen released a signal of a more ambitious product layout at this auto show. Along with the debut of ID. ERA, SAIC Audi simultaneously exhibited the new A5L Sportback and Audi E5 Sportback, forming a three-dimensional offensive covering the three major technical routes of fuel, pure electric and extended range.
This combination not only marks that SAIC Audi has officially entered a new stage of full-potential product layout, but also forms a dual-brand synergy effect with SAIC Volkswagen - the former strengthens the luxury sports market with the Sportback family, and the latter opens up the incremental new energy market with ID.ERA.
According to the plan, SAIC Volkswagen will launch more than 20 new models by 2030, of which 10 products, including 7 new energy models, will be launched by the end of 2026. The core of this "full potential" strategy is to break the path dependence of traditional automakers that "emphasize electric and ignore fuel" and ensure that consumers can get the leading mechanical quality and intelligent experience in the same class no matter what power form they choose through the equalization of German quality.
In the competitive dimension of the joint venture 2.0 era, SAIC Volkswagen has demonstrated the unique advantage of systematic capabilities. Relying on the tens of millions of user data accumulated over 40 years of car manufacturing experience and the integration capabilities throughout the industry chain, ID.ERA has established the principle of "global model standards, Chinese speed development" from the early stage of research and development. This model of deeply binding German process standards with Chinese localized innovation not only ensures the German genes of product quality, but also realizes the rapid iteration of intelligent configuration.
As the industry focuses on the integration of new energy and intelligence, SAIC Volkswagen is using ID.ERA as a starting point to create a model room for the transformation of joint venture automakers. This concept car not only carries the brand's determination to transform into an electric vehicle, but also heralds the advent of a new era of coordinated development of oil-electric hybrid and intelligent vehicles. With the strategic support of a full potential layout, SAIC Volkswagen is showing the industry a way to break through the rapid transformation of enterprises with a combination of "global wisdom + Chinese speed".
