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Out of Spec Reviews·Car Reviews & AutomotiveVolkswagen ID. Era 9X Is On Another Planet From Any Other VW Sold! You Have To See This
TL;DR
The VW ID. Era 9X is a China-exclusive range-extended EV with 1,000-mile range, 500hp, and next-level tech that makes every VW sold in the West look outdated.
Key Points
- 1.The ID. Era 9X is a China-exclusive range-extended EV built as a SAIC-Volkswagen joint venture. It uses an 800V architecture, dual motors (up to 500hp), standard rear steering, double-chamber air suspension, and Momenta ADAS — none of which appears in any VW sold in Western markets.
- 2.Its range figures are extraordinary for a three-row SUV. The 1,600 km CLTC rating translates to roughly 900–1,000 real-world miles, enabled by a 65 kWh battery paired with a 1.5L four-cylinder range extender that only charges the battery and runs invisibly.
- 3.Pricing is shockingly competitive at $45,000–$51,000 fully specced. The hosts note that even at $80,000 it would directly challenge the Volvo EX90, Cadillac Vistiq, Kia EV9, and Hyundai Ioniq 9.
- 4.The interior software and features are on a completely different level from any current Volkswagen product. Highlights include a hidden rear drop-down screen, an in-car fridge with temperature control, simultaneous heated and cooled seats, crab-walk capability, camp mode, and a voice projection speaker to talk outside the car.
- 5.Fast charging is exceptional, with one battery variant charging from 10–80% in roughly 8 minutes. The car also supports vehicle-to-load, fuel-powered charging while parked, and scheduled battery thermal management using shore power overnight.
- 6.Neither the design nor the software resembles any existing Volkswagen product. German co-host Vanessa, who drives VWs daily, said she would not recognize it as a Volkswagen without the ID branding, and the hosts conclude most tech was sourced from SAIC rather than developed in-house by VW.
- 7.Volkswagen is running an aggressive China product offensive, launching a new car roughly every two weeks on average over the next year. The brand has also partnered with Xpeng for future electrical architecture on separate models, signaling it is taking the Chinese market far more seriously than rivals like BMW, Cadillac, or Porsche.
- 8.There are currently no confirmed plans to bring the ID. Era 9X to Europe or North America. The hosts argue this must change, noting a team already drove the car from China to Wolfsburg to wake up VW executives, and that YouTube coverage makes it impossible to keep the car hidden from Western audiences.
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