SAIC Volkswagen begins pre-production of ID model for China market

The new plant of the SAIC Volkswagen joint venture, purely built for the production of all electric vehicles on Volkswagen’s Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB), has been completed. Celebrating the start of pre-production, a first China-specific all-electric Volkswagen ID. model rolled off the production line today.

The plant sets the next milestone in Volkswagen’s global electrification strategy. The start of series production of all-electric cars based on the MEB platform in Anting is scheduled for October 2020.

“The Volkswagen Group projects a total volume of 22 million all-electric cars worldwide by 2028, with more than 50 percent of that from China. The country plays a crucial part in our electrification strategy, which will pave the way to Volkswagen’s goal of becoming net carbon-neutral by 2050”, said Dr. Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG. “Together with the start of MEB production, we will launch the Volkswagen ID. family in China as well, a brand-new generation of fully electric and connected vehicles.”

Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, added: “It took only 12 months to see the completion of this innovative factory. Congratulations to our colleagues in Anting, who will further prepare to produce the first China-model of the Volkswagen ID. family here in Shanghai. We will speed up our NEV offensive even more, as we expect further e-mobility market growth.”

Pre-production begins just a few days after the first global ID. manufacturing started in Zwickau, Germany. Full series production in the new Anting factory is planned to commence in October 2020, with an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles. The MEB production plays a key role in Volkswagen Group China’s e-mobility strategy, as it strives to transform into a provider of sustainable mobility. The Anting plant is scheduled to start ID. model production at the same time with a plant by FAW-Volkswagen in Foshan, resulting in a combined capacity of 600,000 units per year.

The first phase of pre-production in Anting starts now with a China-specific ID. model of the Volkswagen Brand. In the future, the plant will be manufacturing MEB platform-based BEV models for various Volkswagen Group brands. In total, it is planned to increase the local production in China up to 15 MEB models from different brands by 2025.

Fully intelligent and digitised, the Anting plant sets a new benchmark for green and smart factories for Volkswagen Group China and the whole Chinese auto industry. The area utilization is highly increased, meaning less land and built-up space is needed compared to a standard plant. In terms of flexibility, the new MEB factory sets a benchmark in China by allowing for six different car projects running simultaneously.

As a unique platform specifically designed for the mass production of electric vehicles, MEB allows for vehicles with a longer wheelbase and a more spacious interior. Moreover, models produced on the MEB platform will see advanced digital and intelligent daily life integration, in terms of the latest infotainment systems and connectivity functionalities.

Also read: Volkswagen's MEB electric car platform: full details 

Volkswagen ready to share MEB electric platform with rivals

VW completes strategic supplier group for battery cells for MEB-based EVs