Following the ID.ERA 9X, SAIC Volkswagen has launched another range-extender SUV.
On October 12, the SAIC Volkswagen ID.ERA 8X went on sale in Chengdu, with four models, a guide price of 226,800 to 289,800 yuan, and a limited-time benefit price of 206,800 to 269,800 yuan.
The range-extender track has been bustling for three years, while joint-venture brands have remained spectators. It is not that they did not want to do it, but that their electrification transformation was half a beat slow. This car is the first landing point for SAIC Volkswagen to turn "Joint Venture 2.0" from a slogan into a product.
As is well known, the biggest controversy surrounding range-extender vehicles is that they are "a dragon when charged, a worm when out of power." The ID.ERA 8X comes standard across the lineup with an 800V high-voltage platform, a 1.5T range-extender hybrid, a maximum CLTC pure electric range of 451 km, and a maximum combined range of 1,602 km. The data looks good! But the battery uses lithium iron phosphate batteries from the brand Zhenli New Energy and ternary lithium batteries from Times SAIC. How much of the range can actually be achieved will still have to wait for feedback from owners.
In terms of space, it measures 5,020×1,997×1,750 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,970 mm, a large five-seat layout, and a front trunk that can be divided into wet and dry compartments. It basically takes care of all the loading needs of family travel.
In terms of power, it is equipped with an EA211 engine as the range extender, Miller cycle plus a VTG variable-geometry turbocharger, two battery options of 51.1 kWh and 65.2 kWh, and both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are available. The fastest version accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. Electricity for the city and fuel for long trips, neither is delayed.
In terms of the interior, an illuminated logo is paired with a through-type light strip, the digital cockpit is equipped with a Qualcomm chip, and the driver assistance system adopts the Momenta R7 world model solution, covering highway and urban navigation. The workmanship foundation of a German car does not lose value even when placed among the new forces.
Writing to the end
In fact, Volkswagen's ID series pure electric vehicles have always been lukewarm in China, and the sibling ID.ERA 9X, five months after delivery, saw monthly sales fall from a peak of 5,000 units to around 1,100 units. Although this is Volkswagen's first time taking this niche path of a large five-seat range extender, and the ID.ERA 8X starts at 206,800 yuan, the threshold has really been lowered, but whether the heat can turn into sales, and whether it will follow in the footsteps of the 9X, no one dares to guarantee.
