FAW-Volkswagen will begin producing two new electric vehicles based on Volkswagen’s China-specific Compact Main Platform (CMP) at its Tianjin plant in 2027, as part of the German carmaker’s broader push to revive growth in its largest market.
Volkswagen announced earlier this year that it plans to launch 30 new models in China by 2027, with a focus on fully electric and plug-in hybrid offerings to counter growing competition from domestic manufacturers such as BYD. The FAW-Volkswagen joint venture said it would manufacture the two new models under a cooperation agreement, though it did not provide further technical details or model names.
According to CarNewsChina, the new vehicles will include fully electric and plug-in hybrid variants, and one of the potential additions is the production version of the ID. AURA concept sedan, which Volkswagen unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show in April. The ID. AURA, a notchback sedan targeting price-sensitive A-segment buyers, features a “smartphone-like UI/UX” and an “AI-based humanoid assistant” for seamless control of infotainment and vehicle functions, the company said at the time.
The CMP platform, developed specifically for the Chinese market, is central to VW’s localisation strategy as it works to regain market share in the rapidly growing New Energy Vehicle (NEV) segment. In 2023, Chinese automaker BYD overtook Volkswagen to become the country’s top-selling carmaker. VW is now intensifying efforts with its joint ventures FAW-Volkswagen, SAIC-Volkswagen, and Volkswagen Anhui to accelerate local innovation and development.
The Tianjin plant, operational since 2018, has an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles. Beyond the two CMP-based vehicles, FAW-Volkswagen previously stated it would launch 11 new models between 2026 and 2028, of which 10 will be NEVs and one a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle.
The upcoming EVs are expected to be part of a new generation of intelligent models jointly developed with local partners. At the Shanghai show, VW also revealed the ID. ERA from SAIC-Volkswagen and the ID. EVO from Volkswagen Anhui, calling them “representative of a new generation of smart electric vehicles.”
Audi, another Volkswagen Group brand, also used the show to debut the Audi E5 Sportback, its first model under a new Chinese subsidiary that forgoes the traditional four-ring logo.
Source: CarNewsChina