Volkswagen ID. UNYX 08: the electric SUV… that nobody wants

Volkswagen has unveiled its new large electric SUV, the ID.UNYX 08, in China, with a design that is quite divisive.

Tastes and colors are not to be debated. In principle. A principle that can be reconsidered when discovering the new Volkswagen ID.UNYX 08 presented in China. A vehicle designed exclusively for the Chinese market, where we can already doubt its commercial success despite the use of codes specific to this market.

The ID.UNYX 08 is ultimately just the industrial version of the ID.EVO concept shown in May 2025… with less eccentricity. And that’s the core issue: aside from the logo on the front hood and the tailgate, it is impossible to recognize a Volkswagen. The brand identity has been completely stripped away hoping to appeal in China. But isn’t this a crude marketing mistake?

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A very Toyota-like look?

While the rear part somewhat shamefully reminds one of the proportions of an old Renault Koleos, the front seems borrowed from a Toyota or some unknown Chinese company. Let’s move on.

The ID.UNYX 08 is therefore a large electric SUV measuring 5000 mm in length, 1954 mm in width, and 1688 mm in height. The wheelbase is also XXL at 3030 mm. There is no hint of sportiness, its purpose being purely family-oriented.

Two drivetrain configurations will be offered to customers: 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive. In both cases, the rear motor provides 230 kW of power (312 horsepower), while the front motor can add 140 kW (190 horsepower). Enough to move with energy.

A disappointing battery?

The relative disappointment lies in the battery technology choice. It is an LFP chemistry (Lithium-Iron-Phosphate) by CATL, a solution that tends to limit charging speed to about 175 kW. The best SUVs on the market today aim for around 300 kW, nearly double.

Volkswagen promises a range in the Chinese CLTC mixed cycle of 700 kilometers, about 580 km in the European WLTP mixed cycle.

This Volkswagen ID.UNYX 08 will never travel to Europe, and for once, we are tempted to applaud this decision.

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