Volkswagen's comeback? 30 new cars, AI driving, and 1.000 km of range

Volkswagen is not playing. After a few years seeing how Chinese brands like BYD, NIO o XPeng Stealing the limelight in its own Asian fiefdom, the Wolfsburg giant has taken off its tie, put on its overalls (digital, of course), and launched an offensive that smacks of a declaration of war. The battlefield? China. The weapons? 30 new models by 202720 of them fully electric or with NEV technologies powered by artificial intelligence, a design tailored to Chinese tastes, and unprecedented ambition. Welcome to the rebirth of Volkswagen.

The three electrical innovations: ID. ERA, ID. EVO and ID. AURA

During the Volkswagen Group Night, Held as part of Auto Shanghai, the curtain was raised on the German manufacturer's next-generation electric vehicle in China. And beware, because what they've shown is more than just a conceptual design: this is serious business.

ID. ERA It's the one that wants to break with distances. Literally. This large-format, three-row SUV combines electric propulsion with an extended-range generator. In numbers, more than 1.000 km of total autonomyYes, you read that right. Who needs charging stops when your car can just keep going?

ID. EVO, for its part, is the cool kid in the family. Designed for a young audience with one foot in technology and the other on Instagram, this SUV from the ID. UNYX line has a platform of 800 volts, fast charging, Tesla-style OTA updates, and a zone-based electronic architecture that sounds as futuristic as its design.

And then there is the ID. AURA, designed for those who want something compact, competitively priced, but without sacrificing the future. Based on the new CMP platform, designed on purpose for the Chinese market, it offers a electric notchback with AI brain, smartphone-style interface and digital assistant.

“2++” Autonomous Driving and a Future"Made in China"

The most interesting thing? All these models point to the level 2++ automated drivingAnd yes, that "++" isn't for nothing. According to Volkswagen, under certain conditions, these vehicles will be able to overtake you, turn, and even merge into traffic. alone, while you supervise with a face like "I saw this on Black Mirror."

Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen, made it clear with a lapidary phrase that could well be a political campaign headline:

"We have made all the necessary preparations to remain in pole position among foreign automakers in China."

And it's not just marketing. With its new development center in Hefei, Volkswagen has caught up with "China speed": models are developed in just 34 months, incredible times for the world of industry.

In addition, the entire design, from the lines to the interfaces, has been thought out ""in China, for China"Because if Volkswagen has learned anything, it's that competing with Chinese startups at home requires more than German heritage and European promise.

Last try?

Volkswagen is clearly betting heavily on a future in which He doesn't want to be just a supporting actor. He's saying, "Yes, we understand the game. And now we're here to win it."

Will he make it? Time will tell. But one thing is clear: if this were a race, Volkswagen would have just hit the gas. And if the others don't react, it might just escape down the left with the AI ​​at the wheel and Schäfer pumping his fist out the window.