The Volkswagen ID. ERA 8X, a 5-seat extended-range SUV. Credit: SAIC Volkswagen
- The 5-seat ID. ERA 8X starts at a limited-time price of 206,800 yuan ($30,720) and is the third model in SAIC Volkswagen’s ID. ERA lineup.
- SAIC Volkswagen also announced that the ID. ERA 5X, the lineup’s first battery electric model, will launch in November.
SAIC Volkswagen launched the ID. ERA 8X on Monday, pricing the large 5-seat extended-range SUV below market expectations as it takes on Li Auto’s (NASDAQ: LI) Li L6 and the Huawei-backed Aito M6.
The SUV comes in 4 variants with limited-time prices ranging from 206,800 yuan ($30,720) to 269,800 yuan, compared with official guide prices of 226,800 yuan to 289,800 yuan.
The Pro variant has a limited-time price of 206,800 yuan, followed by the Max at 229,800 yuan, the Max Long Range at 249,800 yuan and the Ultra Long Range at 269,800 yuan.
The ID. ERA 8X is the second extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) in the ID. ERA lineup. The previously launched 6-seat ID. ERA 9X starts at a limited-time price of 299,800 yuan, making the 8X 93,000 yuan cheaper.
Pre-sales began on September 28 without pricing being disclosed. Market expectations at the time generally put the price between 250,000 yuan and 350,000 yuan.
The ID. ERA 8X measures 5,020 mm in length, 1,997 mm in width and 1,750 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,970 mm. It is 187 mm shorter than the ID. ERA 9X, with a wheelbase 100 mm shorter.
The SUV uses a range-extender system based on the EA211 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, with a maximum generator output of 105 kW. It features an 800-volt architecture and offers both 2-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive options.
The Pro variant has a single motor producing up to 220 kW (295 hp) and a 51.1-kWh battery, delivering a CLTC battery range of 373 km and a combined range of 1,567 km.
The Max variant has dual motors with a combined output of 370 kW. It uses the same 51.1-kWh battery and offers a CLTC battery range of 340 km.
The 2 long-range variants feature 65.2-kWh batteries from CATL (HKEX: 3750), providing a CLTC battery range of 451 km and a combined range of 1,602 km.
The all-wheel-drive variants deliver peak torque of 660 Nm and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.
All variants come with Momenta’s (HKEX: 6880) R7 world-model-based driver-assistance system, featuring a 192-channel LiDAR and 26 sensors. The system supports highway and urban navigation on autopilot (NOA), as well as parking-space-to-parking-space assistance.
The cockpit runs Volkswagen OS on a Snapdragon 8295P chip and features dual 15.6-inch 2.5K dashboard displays, a W-HUD and Smart Surface displays integrated into the door panels.
The ID. ERA 8X enters one of China’s most crowded price segments, with rivals also including Xpeng’s (NYSE: XPEV) G9L and IM Motors’ LS8.
At the end of the launch event, SAIC Volkswagen announced that the ID. ERA 5X will go on sale in November. The lineup’s first battery electric model is a compact SUV measuring 4,560 mm in length.
The ID. ERA 5X is Volkswagen’s first model globally built on the China Main Platform (CMP) and uses the China Electronic Architecture (CEA) jointly developed by Volkswagen and Xpeng. The vehicle completed its regulatory filing in August.
The launch of the ID. ERA 8X brings the number of models on sale in SAIC Volkswagen’s ID. ERA lineup to 3.
The ID. ERA 9X launched on April 25 and surpassed 10,000 deliveries within 2 months. The ID. ERA 5S plug-in hybrid sedan went on sale on August 21, with a limited-time starting price of 89,900 yuan.
The updated ID. UNYX 08 starts at a limited-time price of 189,900 yuan ($28,030), 17.4% below its starting price at its April launch.
($1 = 6.7313 yuan)
