A strange pivot
Volkswagen is thinking backward. Or forward, depending on how you look at it.
They’re studying plans to build Chinese-developed EVs in underutilized German plants. Why? To fill empty spaces, save jobs, and stop the bleeding. The move fits a larger pattern: VW is reshuffling its domestic operations while sales shrink, profits dip, and Chinese rivals get louder.
The Lower Saxony government—VW’s second-largest shareholder—backs the idea.
VW boss Oliver Blume hinted at this in April. But the details only just came out. Right as the executive board proposed a brutal restructuring plan. That one could slash 100,00 jobs and cut down the number of models they make. It’s messy. It’s urgent.
The goal isn’t just production. It’s survival.
Sources at the Wolfsburg HQ point to specific names. The new Unyx lineup. These cars come from a partnership between VW and Xpeng in China. No decision is final yet. It’s still part of a broader review on how to use excess capacity.
But if it happens, it’s a historic flip.
Instead of exporting German engineering to China, VW would build Chinese-designed cars in Germany for Europeans. Think about that for a second. The arrow of trade changes direction.
Which cars?
The front runner is the ID Unyx 07. A rear-wheel-drive saloon. It was the first VW to use the China Electrical Architecture (CEA). At 4881 millimeters, it squares up to the Tesla Model 3. Direct competition.
Then there’s the ID Unyx 08. An SUV. 4887 millimeters long. One executive told Autocar this car steps into the shoes of the old Touareg. Globally. That’s a bold claim.
A third option? The ID Unyx 09. Upscale. Long—5081 millimeters. It’s joining the Chinese lineup in October. Files from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology revealed the specs. Rear or four-wheel drive. It’s luxurious.
It shares tech with the 08. A CATL lithium-iron-phosphate battery. AI-based driver assist, built specifically for China’s roads.
Why bring it to Europe? Maybe it’s good enough. Maybe they need the space filled. Maybe it’s time to stop pretending the market isn’t changing.
Which direction is the future anyway? 🚗
