SAIC Volkswagen debuts electric concept vehicles at Auto Shanghai 2025

China

SAIC Volkswagen debuts electric concept vehicles at Auto Shanghai 2025

2025-04-24 19:24 Last Updated At：20:17

SAIC Volkswagen, China's first joint venture for passenger cars between Volkswagen Group and SAIC Motor, debuted several electric concept vehicles at the 21st Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, also known as Auto Shanghai 2025.

Among the concept vehicles on display is the ID.ERA by SAIC Volkswagen -- Volkswagen Group's first range-extended full-size SUV concept.

This model features a fuel-powered generator that charges the battery during operation, providing an extended range of over 700 kilometers. Along with its 300-kilometer range in battery mode, the ID.ERA achieves a total driving distance exceeding 1,000 kilometers.

"This is a 'new automotive era' defined by Chinese consumers. The ID.ERA's appearance is bold, pure, exceptional, and robust, unmistakably reflecting Volkswagen's identity. It also integrates a brand-new design language exclusive to China that exudes a sense of luxury and futurism," said Tao Hailong, general manager of SAIC Volkswagen.

Another concept vehicle presented at the event is the E5 Sportback, the first production model from AUDI, Audi's new sister brand developed in collaboration with SAIC Motor.

This fully electric model, jointly developed by experts from Germany and China, features a range of up to 770 kilometers, providing Chinese consumers with a premium mobility option.

SAIC Volkswagen will introduce 20 new models by 2030, further advancing the realm of joint ventures.

"We uphold precise manufacturing processes, strict safety testing standards, and complete safety testing procedures. We build a software and hardware integrated security protection system based on driving assistance algorithms and chassis tuning capabilities, solidifying our position as consumers' preferred premium mobility partner," Tao said.

Themed "Embracing Innovation, Empowering the Future," Auto Shanghai 2025 kicked off in Shanghai on Wednesday, attracting nearly 1,000 noted enterprises from 26 countries and regions.

Humanoid robots gear up for Beijing half-marathon

Teams attending the 2026 humanoid robot half-marathon are racing to fine-tune every detail before hitting the course on Sunday.

As the world's first humanoid robot marathon, this year's event will see a record 112 teams taking part, including five international teams from countries including Germany, France and Brazil.

Co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal People's Government and China Media Group, the event covers two main categories – autonomous navigation and remote control – with autonomous navigation teams accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total.

One week ago, a full-scale test of the event has already been conducted in Beijing's E-Town Economic and Technological Development Area.

"Really impressive! When I see what they've done in the first marathon that happened last year and what we saw this year, I'm impressed by the advancements that have been made. Last year, some robots had some hard time to just stay standing, but now this year almost every robot is able to stand. And they all focus on performances and that's very exciting," said Etienne, a member of Paris-Saclay University Team.

The 21-kilometer race route covers more than 10 types of terrain including flat ground, slopes, curves, and narrow sections. It features 12 left turns and 10 right turns, including several near-90-degree curves, providing complex environment for robots to test their adaptation and decision-making capabilities.

"This event requires robots to achieve such high mobility autonomously on the course, which poses a significant test of their agility. Even for humans, executing sharp turns under such complex conditions is quite challenging. For robots, this setup further increases the technical difficulty and challenge," said Zhao Mingguo, a researcher at the Department of Automation of Tsinghua University.