New Volkswagen products made together with the Chinese Xpeng: the first model will be a crossover

The future SUV has already been exposed. Models built on the Chinese platform will enter the market in early 2026.

The deal between the Volkswagen concern and Xpeng was officially announced in the summer of 2023; it was closed at the end of that year. As part of this partnership, Volkswagen became the owner of 4.99% of the shares of the Chinese automaker, and the agreement itself involves the joint development of two mid-size electric cars that will appear on the Chinese market in 2026 under the Volkswagen brand. The models will be built on the Xpeng platform, in addition, the Chinese will share their technologies, while VW will take over engineering research, design and, in fact, production. So now a new stage has been announced: the parties have signed a separate agreement on technical cooperation.

At the same time, the first of the upcoming “electric trains” was announced — it will be a crossover; the Chinese division of Volkswagen even distributed its design sketch. But the name has not yet been revealed, as well as the characteristics.

Future electric crossover Volkswagen 1/2 Xpeng G9 2/2

Meanwhile, last year’s release from Xpeng, dedicated to cooperation with Volkswagen, mentioned the “trolley” of the G9 SUV. In this regard, some Chinese media in their publications today began to compare the future VW electric cross with the Xpeng model. The profiles of the cars are really similar, but this is hardly trivial badge engineering — the Germans took too much time to just slightly change the design and hang a different emblem.

Xpeng G9 1/4 Xp eng G9 2/4 Xpeng G9 3/4 Xpeng G9 4/4

Whether the second joint electric car will also turn out to be a crossover is still unknown. All that is said about it in Volkswagen's latest press release is that it will also go on sale in 2026.

Recall that earlier another major player in the car market announced a partnership with the Chinese: the Stellantis concern has concluded a deal with Leapmotor. But if VW is aimed at improving its position in the Middle Kingdom, then Stellantis has gone further — under its auspices Leapmotor should turn into a global brand, and the first “world” model will be the C10 crossover.