Shanghai (ZXZC)- On May 15, the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) Administrative Committee signed an Investment Cooperation Agreement with FAW-Volkswagen ("FAW-VW"), the joint venture between FAW Group and Volkswagen Group, for the introduction of three new vehicle models, according to a post on TEDA's WeChat account.

According to the agreement, FAW-VW will invest over 2.3 billion yuan to introduce three SUV models under the Audi and Volkswagen brands at its Tianjin plant, with production expected to start gradually from 2026.

Among the three models to be introduced, two will be new energy vehicles (NEVs) targeting the mid-to-high-end market. Once fully operational, these models will significantly increase the proportion of NEVs in Tianjin's automotive industry, strengthen and expand the city's NEV industrial chain, and provide robust support for the high-quality development of Tianjin's NEV and intelligent connected vehicle industries. Additionally, the introduction of these new models is expected to boost the production value of Tianjin's auto parts companies by nearly 10 billion yuan.

Photo credit: FAW-VW's Tianjin base

FAW-VW's Tianjin branch was officially established in TEDA in 2016. With the close cooperation between TEDA and FAW-VW, the project progressed rapidly, constructing Volkswagen Group's most advanced global plant in just 23 months. Since 2018, the company has successively produced five SUV models: the Tayron, the new-generation Audi Q3, the Audi Q3 Sportback, the Tayron GTE, and Tayron X, with an aggregated output exceeding 1.15 million units and a cumulative production value of 189.7 billion yuan.

As the main hub for Tianjin's automotive industry, TEDA boasts a robust automotive industrial base, serving as the core area for a national-level automobile and parts export base in China. Currently, TEDA has developed a dynamic ecosystem centered around major automakers such as FAW Toyota, FAW-VW, Great Wall Motor, and Geely's Farizon Auto, along with over 200 companies specializing in various auto parts and related services, including Volkswagen Automatic Transmission, DENSO, Vitesco Technologies, and Lizhong Wheel.