The Volkswagen ID. ERA 5S plug-in hybrid sedan. Credit: SAIC Volkswagen
- The ID. ERA 5S comes in 4 versions and will be formally launched at the Chengdu Auto Show on August 21.
- The car has a 1.5-liter plug-in hybrid system, 160 km of CLTC all-electric range and more than 2,000 km of combined range.
SAIC Volkswagen opened pre-sales on Tuesday for the ID. ERA 5S hybrid sedan, the first sedan globally under the Volkswagen brand with urban NOA (navigation on autopilot) capability.
The car comes in 4 versions with pre-sales prices of 119,900 yuan to 149,900 yuan, and limited-time prices of 115,900 yuan to 145,900 yuan ($17,070 to $21,493). Consumers who pay a 1,000-yuan deposit get 5,000 yuan off the balance.
The ID. ERA 5S will be formally launched at the 2026 Chengdu Auto Show, which opens on August 21. It is the second model in the ID. ERA lineup, after the ID. ERA 9X extended-range SUV (sport utility vehicle).
The mid-size plug-in hybrid sedan measures 4,836 millimeters long, 1,880 millimeters wide and 1,505 millimeters tall, with a wheelbase of 2,766 millimeters.
The car has 15 aerodynamic optimizations and a drag coefficient of 0.247, according to SAIC Volkswagen.
It is powered by a dedicated 1.5-liter plug-in hybrid engine with maximum power of 80 kilowatts, along with a drive motor with peak power of 130 kilowatts (174 hp).
The sedan uses a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, with cells supplied by Rept Battero Energy (HKEX: 0666).
It has 160 km of CLTC all-electric range, more than 2,000 km of combined range, and fuel consumption of 2.82 liters per 100 km with a depleted battery. The battery charges from 30% to 80% in 15 minutes, and supports 3.5-kilowatt vehicle-to-load discharging.
For driver assistance, the car is equipped with the Xingyun Zhixing system, which supports highway NOA, urban NOA, automated parking, valet parking, remote parking, reverse tracking and cross-floor memory parking.
The system is deeply customized based on Horizon Robotics’ (HKEX: 9660) HSD (Horizon SuperDrive) algorithms, creating a Volkswagen-exclusive one-stage end-to-end model, with AEB working at speeds of up to 140 km per hour.
Inside, the car features the Yunqi smart cabin with a wraparound layout, a 15.6-inch 2.5K floating instrument screen and a center console free of physical buttons.
The cabin has a 255-color ambient light strip, an AI voice system co-developed with iFlytek, phone connectivity including CarPlay, HiCar and Carlink, and 50-watt wireless charging.
The seats offer 10-point massage, and the front passenger seat reclines 145 degrees into a lie-flat mode.
The exterior features a fastback shape and a closed front end, with a through-type daytime running light, an illuminated logo, semi-hidden door handles and 19-inch multi-spoke wheels.
SAIC Volkswagen is trying to win over Chinese consumers in a fiercely competitive market by combining Volkswagen’s global quality standards with localized driver-assistance technology.
The compact ID. ERA 5X SUV is Volkswagen’s first model built on the CMP (China Main Platform).
($1 = 6.7884 yuan)
