Created to support a diverse range of electric lifestyle-oriented models, the ID UX electric car sub-brand is intended to appeal to a younger audience than Volkswagen’s existing range of ID models.
“The ID Code gives the first glimpse of the future of Volkswagen in China,” said Schäfer. “It is part of a sharpened brand experience aimed at tapping into new customer groups in China.”
The ideas, technology and processes behind the new concept have been developed to bring future Volkswagen models into closer competition with those from both established Chinese car makers and newer electric car start-ups such as Nio, Xpeng, Aito and Li Auto.
Although the new design language has been conceived for models to be sold in China, insiders at Volkswagen’s design headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, say discussions are already under way as to how it may influence future models planned for sale in Europe.
“We’ve shown how we will progress the look of electric models for Europe with the ID 2 and ID 2 GTI. They’re more traditional in terms of styling,” said Mindt. “However, we are not ruling out a car like the ID Code being introduced to other markets in the future. For now, though, it is only planned for China.”
The first model in the ID UX line-up is the ID Unyx – a rebadged version of the Cupra Tavascan produced at a joint-venture factory operated in partnership with JAC in the Chinese city of Hefei.
An extension of the existing ID line-up conceived exclusively for the Chinese market, it forms an integral part of Volkswagen’s ‘In China, for China’ strategy.
At the unveiling of the ID Code, Volkswagen revealed the ID line-up will grow to a total of 16 models by 2030, including five models from the ID UX range.
Despite the heavy focus on its electric car offerings, however, the German car maker says it remains committed to combustion vehicles, with plans to expand its line-up in China with 12 new petrol models and six new plug-in-hybrids – the latter all offering an electric range of more than 62 miles.
