The Volkswagen ID. Era 5X () is a battery electric compact SUV produced by Volkswagen under its SAIC-VW joint venture in China. Marketed under Volkswagen's ID. Era sub-brand, it is the family's first fully electric model, following the range-extended EV ID. Era 9X and ID. Era 8X and the plug-in hybrid ID. Era 5S. It is also Volkswagen's first production model globally to combine the China-specific Compact Main Platform (CMP) with the China Electronic Architecture (CEA), the latter co-developed with XPeng.
History Details of the ID. Era 5X surfaced through a filing with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on 7 August 2026, with Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen providing further official details the following day.
The model made its public debut on 21 August 2026 at the Chengdu Auto Show, where it appeared alongside the ID. Era 9X, 8X, and 5S. The ID. Era 5X is scheduled to complete its market launch in November 2026.
Development and equipment The ID. Era 5X is built on the Compact Main Platform (CMP), a China-specific platform Volkswagen developed for lower-cost electric vehicles in the country, separate from the global MEB platform. The platform is paired with the China Electronic Architecture (CEA), a zonal electrical and electronic architecture co-developed by Volkswagen Group China Technology Company, CARIAD China, and XPeng. CEA had previously been used on other Volkswagen China models built on the MEB platform; the ID. Era 5X is Volkswagen's first production vehicle globally to combine CEA with the new CMP platform.
The ID. Era 5X follows the ID. Era family's design language, with a full-width daytime running light bar and an illuminated Volkswagen logo at the front, a "Lingmou" matrix LED headlights positioned lower on either side, as well as a through-going tail light bar consistent.
The ID. Era 5X is equipped with lidar and Volkswagen's "Xingyun Zhixing" () assisted-driving system, jointly developed by SAIC Volkswagen and Chinese autonomous-driving company Momenta. Volkswagen describes the system as offering end-to-end, full-scenario urban Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) at Level 2++. The cabin uses Volkswagen's "Yunqi Zhicang" () smart cockpit system, also used across other ID. Era models.
Powertrain The ID. Era 5X is rear wheel drive and uses a single electric motor, manufactured by United Automotive Electronic Systems (UAES). It produces , giving a top speed of . It is equipped with a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack supplied by CATL.
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