After years as a dominant force, Volkswagen has lost ground in the Chinese market under pressure from local manufacturers capable of offering advanced electric vehicles at more competitive prices. This rapid shift pushed the Wolfsburg-based brand into the background, at least temporarily.
However, Volkswagen has already begun its response. The company is rebuilding its position by focusing on strategic partnerships with local players. Its relationship with SAIC Motor, the automotive giant that also controls MG, has become central to Volkswagen’s comeback strategy in China. One of the most ambitious projects to emerge from this alliance is the new Volkswagen ID. Era 9X.
Volkswagen could launch the new ID. Era 9X EREV SUV in the U.S. under the Scout brand
Volkswagen previewed the model as a concept at the Shanghai Auto Show 2025, and it is now ready to debut in production form. At least in its initial phase, Volkswagen will sell the ID. Era 9X exclusively in China. Measuring 5.20 meters in length, 1.99 meters in width, and 1.81 meters in height, it becomes the longest SUV Volkswagen has ever built. Within the broader group, only the long-wheelbase version of the Bentley Bentayga surpasses it. A 3.07-meter wheelbase ensures generous space for six passengers, reinforcing the model’s family-oriented and premium positioning.
The most significant aspect, however, lies in the powertrain technology. With this model, Volkswagen introduces EREV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle) technology to its lineup for the first time. Beneath the bodywork sits a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 141 horsepower, featuring a variable-geometry turbocharger derived from Porsche technology. Importantly, this engine serves solely as a generator.
In fact, the combustion engine’s only role is to produce electricity for the battery and electric motors, which alone drive the wheels. In China, the Volkswagen ID. Era 9X lineup includes three versions. The first two feature a single rear-mounted electric motor rated at 295 horsepower. The entry-level model uses a 51.1-kWh LFP battery supplied by CATL, while the mid-range version adopts a larger 65.2-kWh NCM battery, also from CATL. At the top of the range sits a dual-motor all-wheel-drive variant delivering a total of 510 horsepower, paired exclusively with the larger battery.
According to the CLTC homologation cycle, electric-only range varies between 267, 340, and 321 kilometers, depending on the version. Although Volkswagen has yet to confirm official figures, total combined range should approach 1,000 kilometers, one of the key advantages of EREV technology.
The remaining question is whether an SUV of this size and philosophy could find a market beyond China. In Europe, the prospect appears unlikely, while the concept would make more sense in the United States. However, Volkswagen is currently pursuing a different strategy there through the revival of the Scout Motors brand, leaving open the possibility that such an SUV could eventually arrive under that nameplate instead.
