VW already created an EV sub-brand for its EV sub-brand—for China

• Volkswagen’s adding a sub-brand to a sub-brand as part of its EV push
• The new sub-brand will be for China only and named ID.Unyx
• Volkswagen already launched a sub-brand in China named ID.UX

Volkswagen is launching a China-only sub-brand within its ID EV sub-brand.

The automaker on Wednesday announced ID.Unyx, which will include five electric models by 2026, starting with a coupe-like crossover of the same name. They’ll be among 34 new models the automaker plans to launch globally by 2030, with a specific focus on China as it looks to reinforce its position in the world’s largest car market.

“Intelligently networked electric models such as the new ID.Unyx are the key to attracting young, lifestyle-oriented target groups and retaining existing customers for the Volkswagen brand,” Stefan Mecha, head of the VW brand in China, said in a statement. Mecha didn’t explain why these new models needed to be in a new sub-brand nested within the ID EV family, though, and didn’t specify whether they’ll use the same MEB platform as other ID models.

VW did say that the first ID.Unyx model was developed at a new facility in Hefei, China, and will also be manufactured in that city. Styling differs a bit from other ID models, with sharp creases in the body sides, a ribbed hood, and complex detailing on the front and rear bumpers.

The ID.Unyx crossover coupe will be offered with both single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrains, rated at 281 hp and 335 hp, respectively. A 77.0-kwh battery pack is used with both powertrains. VW expects single-motor models to achieve 385 miles of range in CLTC testing.

The ID name goes back to 2016, when the initial ID concept debuted at the Paris auto show. That concept previewed the ID.3 electric five-door hatchback that would eventually launch in Europe as the first ID model. VW has since settled on a mix of numbers, as with the ID.3 and the ID.4 crossover that is central to the automaker’s EV plans in the U.S., and names, as with the ID.Buzz van—with the ID prefix.

Volkswagen ID.Unyx

But VW has looked to supplement the global ID sub-brand with China-specific EVs. It previously announced a different sub-brand for China, called ID.UX, with five models in 2027. At the 2024 Beijing auto show, it unveiled a concept car called the ID.Code with styling claimed to be more in line with Chinese tastes.

VW is also developing at least one China-specific EV platform, dubbed the China Main Platform (CMP) for debut in 2026 and is partnering with Chinese automaker Xpeng on EV development. That’s in addition to existing joint ventures with local automakers SAIC and FAW, which originated under a government policy that required foreign automakers to partner with local firms.