SAIC Volkswagen ID.ERA 5S Pre-sale from RMB 115,900; Exec Notes Some Rivals Use Only 18% Hot-Formed Steel
SAIC Volkswagen has opened pre-sales for the ID. ERA 5S, a plug-in hybrid mid-size sedan priced from RMB 115,900 to RMB 145,900. The model uses 30% hot-formed steel, while an executive noted some rivals have as little as 18% in their body-in-white. Sales of SAIC Volkswagen fell 32.7% year-on-year to 384,600 units in the first seven months of 2026. The company plans to launch six new Volkswagen-brand models in 2026. The ID. ERA 5S is the second model in the ID. ERA series, following the ID. ERA 9X, and features city NOA and a combined range exceeding 2,000 km.
SAIC Volkswagen's ID. ERA 5S uses 30% hot-formed steel and has enhanced anti-corrosion treatment. It was noted at the launch that some models have hot-formed steel content as low as 18% in their body-in-white. Li Jun, executive director of marketing for SAIC Volkswagen's Volkswagen brand, said that some car brands focus on promoting features such as TVs, refrigerators, and sofas, but investment is also needed in areas that consumers cannot easily perceive.
On August 11, pre-sales for the ID. ERA 5S began, with a limited-time pre-sale price of RMB 115,900 to RMB 145,900. The new car measures 4,836 mm in length, 1,880 mm in width, and 1,505 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,766 mm, placing it between the new Lamando L and the Passat. It is powered by a 1.5L engine and an electric motor, with a maximum engine output of 80 kW and a combined motor output of 130 kW. The WLTC pure-electric range is 120 km, and the combined range exceeds 2,000 km, with a fuel consumption of 2.82 L/100 km when the battery is depleted. The ID. ERA 5S is the first plug-in hybrid mid-size sedan from SAIC Volkswagen's Volkswagen brand to feature city NOA (navigation on autopilot) and offers advanced driver assistance.
ERA 5S is the second model in the ID. ERA series, following the ID. ERA 9X. The series is built on Volkswagen's CMP platform and supports range-extended, plug-in hybrid, and pure-electric powertrains. In addition to the already-launched ID. ERA 5S now in pre-sale, the ID. ERA 5X also made its debut on August 11. In 2026, SAIC Volkswagen plans to launch six new Volkswagen-brand models. According to SAIC's July production and sales report, in the first seven months of 2026, SAIC Volkswagen sold 384,600 vehicles, a year-on-year decline of 32.7%.