Volkswagen prepares to import electric vehicles from China to Europe — Autocar

At the Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen said it is preparing the option of selectively importing electric vehicles developed for the Chinese market into Europe. Such cars would complement the brand’s current European model range rather than replace existing models, Autocar reports.

Models for the Chinese market

Volkswagen has a number of cars created in China specifically for the local market. They are based on a separate architecture adapted for this region. The company had previously acknowledged that some of these models could be sold and potentially manufactured in Europe in the future.

Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer said that over the past two years, the company had worked to reduce material and engineering costs. According to him, Volkswagen revised its approach to vehicle development and worked with partners in Europe and China to make its cars cost-competitive in the Chinese market.

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Exports from China

Schäfer noted that Volkswagen is already beginning to export vehicles from China to countries of the Global South, as well as to markets where it is logistically easier to supply cars from China, including Australia and Middle Eastern countries.

For Europe, the company is preparing the option of importing one or several models. As an example, Schäfer cited the 5.2-metre ID Era SUV, which Volkswagen would not necessarily have developed for the European market because of its size. He stressed that selective imports should help test the market reaction rather than replace the brand’s current vehicles.

Possible candidates

Among the potential models for Europe, Autocar names the new ID Unyx 09 electric sedan, developed jointly with Volkswagen’s Chinese partner Xpeng. Another candidate could be the 4.8-metre ID Aura T6 SUV, which could be positioned in the European range above the smaller ID Tiguan and become a competitor to the Volvo EX60.