Volkswagen ID. Era 5S Opens Pre-orders: Brand's First Plug-in Hybrid Sedan with Urban & Highway NOA

The ID. Era 5S — the first sedan under Volkswagen's new ID. Era NEV product line — has recently launched pre-orders in the Chinese market. As AUDI-SAIC's first plug-in hybrid sedan featuring Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) capability for both urban and expressway driving, the ID. Era 5S marks a pivotal step forward for Volkswagen in integrating intelligent technologies with electrification.

According to official information, the ID. Era 5S is offered in four trims, with a pre-order starting price of ¥115,900 (approximately $17,175). This price reflects a limited-time promotional offer. The suggested retail prices before discount are: Pure — ¥119,900; Neo — ¥129,900; Pro — ¥139,900; Max — ¥149,900. The vehicle is scheduled to officially launch on August 21, 2026.

Positioned as a mid-size intelligent plug-in hybrid sedan, the ID. Era 5S measures 4,836 mm in length, 1,880 mm in width, and 1,505 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,766 mm — 76 mm shorter, 31 mm wider, and 24 mm taller than the SkodaOctavia. Its drag coefficient is as low as 0.247 Cd. The body uses 86% high-strength steel (including 30% hot-formed steel), and seven airbags come standard. The chassis features MacPherson front suspension and multi-link rear suspension, with a curb weight of 1,655 kg.

The powertrain combines a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine (max output: 80 kW) and a drive motor (max output: 130 kW), paired with a single-speed DHT dedicated hybrid transmission. It packs a 19.1 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, delivering a CLTC all-electric range of 160 km and a fuel consumption of 4.19 L/100 km in charge-sustaining mode.

The ID. Era 5S is equipped with an L2-level intelligent driving assistance system co-developed by AUDI-SAIC, Horizon Robotics, and Carizon. It supports point-to-point navigation-assisted driving, automatic parking, remote parking, and multi-level memory parking, plus automatic emergency braking functional up to 140 km/h. Notably, this remains an L2-level partial automation system — drivers must continuously monitor road conditions.

The interior adopts a minimalist design language, featuring a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster, supporting Apple CarPlay, Huawei HiCar, and Carlink connectivity. Front seats include heating, ventilation, and 10-point massage functions, and can fully recline to form a 'double-bed' mode. Rear seats also feature heating. The audio system includes six speakers.