SAIC VW's EV-only plant starts official production

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On October 27, the ID.4 X, ID. family's first model mass-produced by SAIC Volkswagen (SAIC VW), rolled off the production line at the joint venture's EV-focused plant in Anting, Shanghai, signifying that Volkswagen Group's first factory dedicated to producing e-cars based on MEB (modular electric drive matrix) platform formally starts production.

SAIC VW's MEB plant in Anting; photo credit: SAIC VW

SAIC VW broke ground on the Anting EV factory in October 2018 and kicked off pre-production about one year later. With a planned annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles, the EV-only plant involves a total investment of 17 billion yuan ($2,542,892,300)

The first ID.4 X made at the Anting plant is also the 23,000,001st complete vehicle manufactured by SAIC VW, the joint venture between Volkswagen Group and China's biggest automaker SAIC Motor. The all-electric SUV is said to hit the market in March next year.

The ID.4 will be simultaneously locally produced by SAIC VW and FAW-VW under different names. The ID.4 X is the version designed for SAIC VW, while the ID.4 CROZZ is the counterpart made by FAW-VW.

According to Volkswagen Group, with the MEB, everything is optimally matched to the requirements of electromobility. The axles are offset far apart, ensuring short overhands. There is no combustion engine that takes up space. The architecture is aligned with the high-voltage traction battery in the car floor and provides plenty of space in the interior.

The location of the battery in the center of the vehicle results in optimal weight distribution of close to 50:50. The low center of gravity and the balanced weight distribution enable a driving behavior that is dynamic as well as balanced.

MEB is suitable for different models without changing the unique identity of a brand. Body and chassis are separated from each other. Besides, the battery's modular layout allows scalable ranges from about 330 km up to more than 550 km (WLTP / Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure).

Following the ID.4, the ID.3, the first production model of Volkswagen's ID. BEV family, will be locally manufactured at the Anting EV plant as well.