Volkswagen and BMW have reduced prices for their EVs in China significantly. This comes after a number of carmakers have started offering their electric cars for less to increase sales and reduce inventory in the country.
The VW Group apparently wants to increase its influence on one of the joint ventures in the expansion of e-mobility in China and could thus risk conflicts with other partners.
Volkswagen started deliveries of the VW ID.6 Crozz in China this week. Produced by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture, the battery-electric SUV is offered in five versions at prices starting at 239,800 yuan, around €31,500.
At the Auto Shanghai, VW has presented the ID.6, the third model in the ID. family for the Chinese market. Like the ID.4, the all-electric MEB-based family SUV with room for up to seven passengers is available in two versions.
Volkswagen partner SAIC is reportedly planning to produce and sell the VW ID.3 in China. According to a Chinese media report, the model will be launched on the Chinese market this year. In addition, there are now more details on the VW ID.6, which is to be launched in China in April.
The VW ID.4 X has made its official market debut in China. The electric car produced by VW with its partner SAIC is now available in China in six variants at prices ranging from 199,900 to 272,900 yuan (equivalent to around €25,900 to €35,300) after subsidies.
The Volkswagen brand has presented its ‘Accelerate’ strategy that should speed up its electric plans. VW also mentions concrete model plans, although, in the case of the electric compact car, the German carmaker company has been sparing with detail.
In China, Volkswagen has now also started production of the VW ID.4 for the Chinese market in Foshan. After SAIC Volkswagen started production of the ID.4 X at the MEB plant in Anting at the end of October, FAW-Volkswagen is now following suit with the ID.4 Crozz in Foshan.
VW has now officially presented the two versions of the ID.4 made for the Chinese market. The ID.4 X is the version of the electric SUV developed for SAIC-VW, while the ID.4 Crozz is the counterpart of FAW-VW.
VW has started production of MEB-based EVs at its SAIC-operated plant in Anting near Shanghai with the production of the ID.4 X. The ID.4 Crozz, the counterpart of the other China joint venture with FAW, is to follow in a few weeks.
Volkswagen will invest around 15 billion euros in electric mobility in China by 2024 with its three joint venture partners SAIC, FAW and JAC. This comes in addition to the €33Bn the Group had already announced in 2019 for the global development of the electric car sector.
Is an electric car more climate-friendly than a vehicle with a combustion engine or not? And if so, under which conditions is that the case? A team at the Environment Campus Birkenfeld in Trier now published a new study – not using metadata, but real-world tests and measurements. The results are remarkable.
Starting next year, the Audi e-tron will be produced for the Chinese market by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture at the Changchun plant. Between 45,000 and 50,000 units per year are planned. Another Audi electric model to be produced in China is the e-tron Sportback.
Volkswagen intends to offer Chinese customers a total of 14 electrified models this year, said Group CEO Herbert Diess at the first World New Energy Vehicle Congress in the southern Chinese city of Boao.
Volkswagen has established a joint venture with its China partners JAC and FAW for the development, production and sale of charging infrastructure. This involves wall boxes as well as the installation, maintenance and operation of public charging points.
Volkswagen apparently plans to set up a Chinese fast-charging network. A respective joint venture would see VW partner FAW and other local companies become part of the effort that is worth a starting capital of 1 billion yuan (around 130 million euros).
Volkswagen say it will take them no more than two years to launch more than 30 new electric cars and plug-in hybrids in China. Moreover, the Group’s Chinese arm is considering to install a public high power charging network together with local partners from 2019.
Volkswagen and their Chinese partner FAW have opened a new factory in Tianjin. The factory will serve to support their SUV offensive in China. It will serve as a production facility for Volkswagen and Audi SUVs, including PHEV variants.
Volkswagen’s Spanish subsidiary Seat will enter China by hooking onto the JAC Volkswagen joint venture. Together the three plan to establish a R&D centre for electric vehicles. Development is to culminate in a dedicated electric car platform for China and beyond in 2021.
The joint venture FAW-Volkswagen plans to roll out seven new energy vehicles under the Audi label in China by 2020. The line-up will include both PHEVs as well as pure electric cars such as Audi’s upcoming electric SUV that will also be made in China.
VW CrossBlue made in China: Zhang Pijie, General Manager of the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture, confirmed that it will produce the seven-seater from 2017. However, the Chinese will not build the plug-in hybrid version of the CrossBlue. carnewschina.com
Mysterious Renault concept: The French carmaker announced to debut a new concept car at the Auto Expo in India next month. Renault has not leaked any details yet, but it might very well be a pre-preview of a new plug-in hybrid. indianautosblog.com (Auto Expo), autoexpress.co.uk (Plug-in hybrid)
Model S to be costly in China: Tesla will ask for 1.2 million yuan (198,000 dollars) from Chinese Model S buyers – almost twice as much as in the U.S. (94,570 dollars). The price is due to high import taxes and the need to “earn extra money”. With one showroom in Beijing and another planned for Shanghai, ‘Tesila’ sales will officially start in June. carnewschina.com
New hybrids by 2015 and beyond: This year, a wave of new PHEVs is expected to flood the U.S. but rumours of future models are already swirling around in the internet. Brad Berman fished out 8 to 10 new plug-ins, which are likely to hit the states from next year. plugincars.com