The SAIC-Volkswagen, a joint venture between the German automobile maker Volkswagen Group and Chinese auto manufacturer SAIC Motor, has announced the new vehicle under the ID. ERA series on May 7, 2026, with the release of a teaser image of the SAIC-VW ID. ERA 5S, a plug-in hybrid sedan.
At the 2026 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Auto Show, the newly announced PHEV sedan from the JV is likely to be showcased, and then its launch may happen by late 2026. The price is yet to be revealed but is expected to start from 220,000 Chinese yuan (30,500 US dollars).
It is made on a high-voltage hybrid architecture, which uses MacPherson struts as front and sophisticated multi-link rear suspension to ensure better driving comfort. Once the vehicle is launched in the domestic market, it will compete with the Luxeed S7, Zeekr 007, and Xiaomi SU7.
Set to be introduced in China with a seating capacity of 5 people in a layout of 2-3, and the rear seat will be bench type. Dimensions aren’t yet revealed, but it is likely to be over 5 meters long, and its wheelbase is expected to be 3 meters, giving ample legroom for all rear-seating passengers.
While the exact width and height are still pending, they are reportedly around 1.9 meters wide and 1.5 meters tall. This ensures that all occupants have ample shoulder room and headroom, maintaining comfort even during long-distance travel. Inside the cabin, behind the rear seats, a cargo space of approximately 550 liters is expected, which can be expanded by folding the rear seats.
The teaser image only reveals it has a fastback silhouette. However, the car has already been spotted testing multiple times, which revealed many details. Up front, it features a split headlight setup; the full-width LED DRLs are placed above and LED headlights below, giving it the modern look, and it gets flush-type door handles that improve aerodynamics and large five-spoke alloy wheels on the sides.
The interior of the car is based on the “Yunqi” Intelligent Cockpit philosophy; the front seats are expected to be electronically adjustable with heating, ventilation, and massage functions that remove fatigue during the long drive, and the front passenger seat is expected to be zero-gravity to enhance comfort. The cabin is set to use premium trim and soft-touch materials to enhance premiumness.
In the center of the dashboard, there will be a 15.6-inch ultra-high-definition touchscreen infotainment system, which acts as the cabin’s control panel. A similar screen may also be available for the front passenger for entertainment. Instead of a digital instrument cluster, an augmented reality (AR) head-up display is expected to project the primary driving data on the windshield.
Other features expected include multi-mode AI that supports AI-based voice control and can manage things over voice commands, active noise cancellation, multi-color ambient lighting, and multiple airbags. It is certain that it will feature the ‘Xingyun’ Intelligent Driving System, which works with the roof-mounted LiDAR unit and sensors featuring Urban NOA, which makes the driving almost autonomous.
Reportedly, the car is based on 800 volts, so there is a higher expectation that its powertrain will be the same as the ID. ERA 9X, which includes a 143 hp (105 kW) 1.5 liter turbocharged petrol (EA211) engine and a 216 hp (160 kW) front motor and a 297 hp (220 kW) rear motor, providing an all-wheel drive configuration.
The combined power output is 510 hp (380 kW), allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 5.6 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/h (125 mph). It gets a battery pack of 51.1 kWh, whose CLTC pure-electric range is 406 km (252 miles).