SAIC Volkswagen's Range-Extended Models Target Li Auto L8/L9, Mass Production Post-Q1 2025

Last year, SAIC Volkswagen renewed its joint venture agreement through 2040, and its product offensive is accelerating. According to Volkswagen's official strategic plan, starting in 2026, SAIC Volkswagen will launch two pure electric models based on the CMP platform, three plug-in hybrid models, and, for the first time, two range-extended models.

According to 一见 Auto, SAIC Volkswagen began developing its range-extended models around the end of 2023.

At the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, SAIC Volkswagen will unveil its first 6-seat range-extended concept model, targeting the Li L8/L9 segment. The model will be equipped with autonomous driving technology from Momenta and is expected to enter mass production after the first quarter of 2026. Another 5-seat range-extended model is also in development, potentially targeting the Li L6/L7 segment. Insiders revealed that the development of SAIC Volkswagen's range-extended models started around the end of 2023.

The first teaser image of the Volkswagen and XPeng collaboration SUV.

In the pure electric segment, two electric models based on the CMP platform are scheduled for release in 2026, with the first planned as an SUV. Another pure electric product is still in the product definition phase and may be adjusted later.

Notably, the CMP platform is Volkswagen's first locally developed A-segment platform in China, capable of reducing production costs by 40% and shortening the development cycle by 30%.

This move signifies that a traditional joint venture giant is officially entering China's range-extended hybrid market, aiming to capture a share from NEV.

SAIC Volkswagen's entry not only challenges Li Auto but also represents the transformation of traditional automakers toward electrification and intelligence. If it can balance technological maturity, user operations, and brand renewal, its range-extended models could emerge as strong contenders in the mid-to-high-end SUV market.

However, facing the agility of NEV in the software-defined vehicle era, SAIC Volkswagen still needs to redefine its core competitiveness in the new energy era with a "game-changing" posture.