Volkswagen is making another big move in China. The company showed off the ID. Aura T6 for the first time – a new vehicle designed specifically for the local market. This EV comes from the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture and highlights how German car makers are now working closely with Chinese tech firms. The ID. Aura T6 reveals a shift in how Volkswagen builds its EVs by using technology from XPeng.

The public will get its first close-up look at this vehicle at the Beijing Auto Show starting April 24, 2026. We’ve seen many electric cars from the ID. family before, but this one feels a bit different. It follows a series of concept cars that first appeared in 2025. Initially, we thought the Aura name would belong to a sedan, but Volkswagen decided to go with a mid-size crossover instead.

VW ID: Aura T6 – source: FAW-Volkswagen

Volkswagen has a specific meaning for every part of the name. The word “Aura” is actually an acronym. It stands for Advanced, User-centric, Reliable, and All-access. These are the four pillars the brand wants to focus on for its future EVs. The letter “T” simply stands for “Travel.” The number 6 is a bit more poetic, as Volkswagen says it represents the “golden balance point” for this size of vehicle. Whether or not drivers feel that balance is a different story, but it shows the company is putting a lot of thought into the branding.

When looking at the ID. Aura T6, the design is a bit of a puzzle. It does not look like a traditional, boxy SUV, but instead, it has a body that mixes the styles of an SUV and a minivan. The car has a very short hood and a windshield that leans back quite far. This shape helps the car cut through the air better, which is important for getting more range out of the battery.

VW ID: Aura T6 – source: FAW-Volkswagen

In terms of size, the new VW is a large machine – it measures approximately 16 ft in length, putting it right in the middle of other Volkswagen models like the ID. Era 9X and the ID. Unyx 08. Because it is so long, the interior is spacious enough for three rows of seats. Volkswagen chose a 2+2+2 layout. This setup is great for families because it gives everyone a bit more personal space than a standard bench seat would.

The ID. Aura T6 uses the new CEA electronic architecture. This system was built together by Volkswagen and XPeng. By working together, they managed to reduce the number of electronic control units by 30 percent. Having fewer computers sounds like a step backward, but it actually makes the car smarter and easier to update. It allows the vehicle to receive “over-the-air” updates, much like a smartphone, and supports advanced AI systems inside the cabin.

VW ID: Aura T6 – source: FAW-Volkswagen

Safety and self-driving features are also a major focus for this new model. The ID. Aura T6 is the first electric crossover from Volkswagen to feature a LiDAR sensor on the roof. This sensor acts like a laser eye that helps the car see everything around it. The car uses a system from Carizon, which is another partnership between Volkswagen and Horizon Robotics.

Volkswagen even used some light humor during the reveal. The test cars were covered in a camouflage wrap that said “German engineering + local innovation.” It is a clear sign that the company knows it needs help from local tech experts to stay competitive. Even with the wrap, you can see the illuminated badges on the front and back, which is a signature look for the brand’s newest EVs. More specific details about the battery size and power will likely come out once the Beijing Auto Show officially begins.

Via

On April 9, 2026, the public got its first real look at the new XPeng Mona L03. This is the first SUV to join the Mona family – XPeng’s dedicated brand for buyers who want a great car without spending a fortune. The Mona L03 is a five-seat vehicle that takes the sporty style and mixes it with the space of a family SUV. XPeng is hoping this model will be just as successful as their first Mona car, the M03 sedan.

If you look at the Mona L03, you will notice it has a coupe-like design, which means the roof slopes down toward the back like a sports car. The front of the car has “T” shaped headlights that make it look modern and maybe even a little bit angry. It has semi-hidden door handles and a front bumper with an active grille to help it with air resistance.

The all-new XPeng Mona L03 – source: MIIT China

The Mona L03 is a mid-sized SUV. XPeng filed paperwork for two different versions of the car – one version is 183.1 inches long, and the other is 183.9 inches long – the difference is due to different bumper designs. Both versions are 75.6 inches wide and 63 inches tall. The car has a wheelbase of 112.2 inches. The car weighs about 4,090 lb – nothing unusual for an EV since batteries are quite heavy.

The wheels on the Mona L03 also come in two sizes. You can get 18-inch wheels with 225/60 R18 tires or larger 20-inch wheels with 245/45 R20 tires. The bigger wheels look cooler, but they might make the ride a little bumpier and will affect the range. XPeng also listed technical measurements for the overhangs – they range between 35 inches and 36.4 inches depending on which version of the car you are looking at.

The all-new XPeng Mona L03 – source: MIIT China

Most electric cars in this price range use one motor, and the Mona L03 is no different. It uses a single electric motor made by Luxshare Precision Technology. The motor has a peak power of 183 kW. That is actually more power than the Mona sedan has. If you have a heavy foot, the Mona L03 can reach a top speed of 112 mph.

The battery inside the car is an LFP pack – Lithium Iron Phosphate. These batteries are popular because they usually last a long time and are safer than other types. The batteries are supplied by CALB – interestingly, XPeng did not use the “blade” batteries from BYD for this model, even though they use them in the sedan version. We do not know the exact capacity of the battery yet, but we expect it to provide plenty of range for daily driving.

The all-new XPeng Mona L03 – source: MIIT China

XPeng loves technology, and the Mona L03 is packed with it. The car is covered in cameras. There are cameras on the front, the back, the mirrors, and even on the sides near the front wheels. These cameras are the “eyes” of the car. They help with driver-assistance features, which keep the car in its lane or even help with driving in busy cities. XPeng is sticking with a system that uses cameras instead of expensive LiDAR sensors and is using its own Turing AI chips.

Inside, passengers can look up through a large panoramic glass roof. It makes the cabin feel big and bright. For people who like to customize their cars, XPeng is offering a lot of options. You can choose different brake calipers, add a rear spoiler or even change the trim on the bumpers.

Optional equipment for the all-new XPeng Mona L03 – source: MIIT China

The Mona L03 is expected to be priced right in the middle of XPeng’s lineup. We believe it will cost around RMB 150,000, which is about £16,000. For comparison, the smaller Mona M03 sedan starts at RMB 119,800 (£12,700). The bigger XPeng G6 SUV starts at RMB 176,800 (£18,900). By pricing the L03 in the middle, XPeng is targeting families who need more space than a sedan can offer, but don’t want to pay the higher price of the G6.

The timing for this launch is very important. In March 2026, XPeng delivered 27,415 vehicles. While that is a lot of cars, it was actually 17% lower than the year before. The company needs the Mona L03 to be a hit to get their numbers back up. The Mona M03 sedan is a huge success, selling over 175,000 units in 2025 alone.

Various options for the all-new XPeng Mona L03 – source: MIIT China

But XPeng isn’t just thinking about China. The CEO, He Xiaopeng, has said he wants to bring the Mona brand to Europe and other parts of the world later in 2026. This means we might see the Mona L03 on roads far away from its home very soon. As the second model in the Mona line, it has big shoes to fill, but if it can match the popularity of the M03 sedan, XPeng will have a very busy year.

Via

XPeng, still a fairly young car company from China, signed a major deal to share its newest smart driving technology with Volkswagen Group. This is the first time a traditional top-tier carmaker has bought core AI software from a Chinese startup to use on a global scale.

The technology at the center of this deal is called VLA 2.0. The Vision-Language-Action is a second-generation AI system that helps EVs “see” and “understand” the world as a person does. It does not need any digital maps to work. Instead, it can navigate tight streets and even school campuses on its own. It even adapts to different driving habits in different countries. XPeng CEO He Xiaopeng says the software is almost like having a “Level 4” self-driving car, which means the car can handle most driving tasks without help.

Volkswagen is XPeng’s first customer for the VLA 2.0

XPeng has huge plans for the next few years. The company wants to sell 1 million electric cars in overseas markets by the year 2030, with more than 70% of its profits to come from outside of China by that time. Last year, XPeng sold 429,445 vehicles – more than double what it sold the year before. Only 45,008 of those were sold outside of China in 2025, but the company expects that number to double again in 2026.

To support this growth, XPeng is opening hundreds of new stores. By the end of this year, it plans to have 680 sales locations worldwide. The company is focusing most of its energy on five specific countries: Germany, Norway, France, Thailand, and Israel. It is also hiring 8,000 new workers this year to keep up with all the new projects.

XPeng uses in-house developed AI chips – source: XPeng

One of those projects is the XPeng P7+ sedan (full review right here). This car is already being built in Austria and will soon be sold in 25 different European countries. Eventually, XPeng wants to sell its EVs in more than 60 countries. In early 2026, the company plans to launch three new models that use extended-range technology. One of those EVs is the new XPeng X9 PowerX, which we reviewed recently.

But electric cars aren’t enough for XPeng and Mr. He has a vision for the year 2026 that sounds like a science fiction movie. He wants to start mass-producing humanoid robots, flying cars, and robotaxis all in the same year. The new robot, named “Iron,” is expected to go into mass production by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, the Land Aircraft Carrier is already being tested on a pilot production line.

XPeng autonomous taxis are coming this year – source: XPeng

Robotaxis are another big part of the plan. XPeng is starting small trials for these taxis this year and expects the business to grow very quickly between 2027 and 2028. The goal is to make a car so smart that a passenger can simply say, “Take me to the nearest coffee shop,” and the car will find the best path while avoiding traffic lights and narrow roads.

Some people might find the idea of a flying car or a robot driver a bit strange, but Volkswagen clearly sees the value. By using Xpeng’s AI, Volkswagen can make its own EVs smarter and more competitive. For XPeng, having a big partner like Volkswagen proves that its technology is some of the best in the world. As the “DeepSeek moment” for autonomous driving begins, these two companies are betting that AI will be the most important part of any car you buy in the future.

Via