Shanghai (ZXZC)- On November 27, SAIC Volkswagen (“SAIC VW”), the joint venture between SAIC Motor and Volkswagen Group, declared the production of its 27 millionth vehicle, securing its place as the first passenger car manufacturer in China to achieve this remarkable milestone.

The 27 millionth vehicle, a refreshed ID.3, an all-electric car built on the Volkswagen MEB platform, features the brand-new "Bay Blue" color scheme.

Established in 1984 and originally named Shanghai Volkswagen, SAIC VW stands as one of China's earliest Sino-foreign joint ventures, formed with a 50%:50% equity split between SAIC Motor and Volkswagen Group. Before the joint venture's foundation, SAIC Motor assembled the first Santana sedan in 1983 in the CKD (complete knock down kit) form.

Photo credit: SAIC VW

Over the following 40 years, SAIC VW consistently held a leading position in China's automotive industry by output and sales, with models like the Santana, the Passat, the Polo, the Lavida, and the Tiguan becoming iconic fixtures in households across the country.

However, the recent years have brought forth challenges due to the industry-wide transition toward electrification and intelligentization, impacting the sales of traditional oil-fueled vehicles. From January to October this year, SAIC VW's cumulative car sales reached 952,341 units, experiencing a 12.43% year-on-year decrease, according to SAIC Motor's public sales results.

Concurrently, SAIC Volkswagen is actively steering toward electrification and intelligent transformation. In 2018, the company laid the foundation for its new energy vehicle factory in Anting, Jiading, Shanghai. In October 2020, the facility commenced official production after trial runs, representing Volkswagen Group's first battery electric vehicle (BEV) factory in China, with a substantial investment of 17 billion yuan and an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles.

Subsequently, SAIC VW introduced three BEV models – the ID.4X, the ID.6X, and the ID.3. Remarkably, within just two and a half years since their market introduction, the cumulative sales of SAIC VW's ID. series surpassed 180,000 units.

In January of this year, the ID.3 marked its 26 millionth vehicle production, demonstrating SAIC VW's commitment to electric transformation. Now, with the latest ID.3, the 27 millionth vehicle, rolling off the assembly line, SAIC VW reinforces its determination in the electrification journey.

On the occasion of this momentous production, SAIC VW announced it would kick off pre-sale of the new ID.3 on December 20. The refreshed model, unveiled at the Auto Guangzhou 2023, introduces the "Bay Blue" color, interior design enhancements, and adjustments in configuration, particularly in the power battery system, with corresponding price adjustments anticipated.