FAW-Volkswagen, Volkswagen AG’s joint venture in China, announced that the first model of its all-new new energy-vehicle (NEV) series, ID. AURA, is named T6, stepping up its efforts in the world’s largest EV market.
FAW-Volkswagen officially announced the name and showcased a camouflaged ID. AURA T6 at its brand night event on Wednesday.
The model is a five-seat sport utility vehicle (SUV) and will make its debut at the Beijing Auto Show starting April 24.
AURA represents four major brand promises: Advanced, User-centric, Reliable, and All-access.
In the T6’s name, “T” (Travel) symbolizes the versatile travel attributes of an SUV, while “6” implies a “golden balance” — more comprehensive than entry-level models and more cost-effective than flagship ones, according to FAW-Volkswagen.
The new model is the first to be equipped with the new China Electronic Architecture (CEA) jointly developed by Volkswagen and Chinese EV startup Xpeng.
This highly integrated architecture drastically reduces the number of control units, lowering overall vehicle complexity while significantly improving system response speeds.
The T6 is equipped with an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) built by Carizon, Volkswagen’s joint venture with China’s Horizon Robotics.
It is also Volkswagen’s first pure electric SUV to feature a roof-mounted LiDAR sensor, marking a localized upgrade in its autonomous driving capabilities.
The introduction of the ID. AURA series comes amid a sharp decline in Volkswagen’s profits in China, with its operating profit in the country plunging over 62% year-on-year in 2025.
To reverse this downturn, Volkswagen plans to launch 13 new models in China in 2026, including seven all-new NEV products.
Among them, Volkswagen Anhui will introduce three models from the ID. UNYX series; SAIC Volkswagen will launch six NEV models, including four from the ID. ERA series; and FAW-Volkswagen will roll out four NEV models, including two from the ID. AURA series.
The broader Volkswagen Group has pledged to introduce more than 30 new NEV models in China by 2029 to defend its market share.
Robert Cisek, CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand in China, said the company must leverage the scaled cost reductions of new technologies and deeply engage in local research and development.
FAW-Volkswagen has set a long-term strategic goal for NEVs to account for about 60% of its total sales by 2030.
