Volkswagen’s second car with XPeng’s VLA 2.0 launches on 24 October

VLA 2.0 and Turing reach a second Volkswagen

The UNYX 09 follows the UNYX 08 in combining a joint vehicle platform with XPeng’s AI driving model and Turing chips.

On 5 November 2025, CEO He Xiaopeng announced Volkswagen as VLA 2.0’s first customer and confirmed that Volkswagen had selected XPeng’s Turing chip. Less than a year later, the UNYX 09 will launch on 24 October as the second Volkswagen model to combine the two.

The new electric sedan opened for pre-orders in September from 199,900 yuan. Its driver assistance runs on VLA 2.0, XPeng’s AI driving model, and supports motorway, city and parking-space-to-parking-space driving. The driver must still supervise.

Will it use XPeng’s new VLA 2.0 Lite?

Every version carries Turing hardware. Its reported computing power of 750 TOPS points to a single Turing chip.

On 22 September, XPeng began rolling out VLA 2.0 Lite over the air to its Max trims with a single Turing chip in China. Volkswagen has not confirmed whether the UNYX 09 will use this same lighter version of the AI driving model.

The first model’s sales picked up in September

The UNYX 08, an electric SUV, went on sale in April. Its Chinese sales more than tripled from August to September, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

China Passenger Car Association retail figures, available for this model from July.

The rise came in the month Volkswagen refreshed the model and added a sportier edition. The limited-time starting price was 189,900 yuan, down from 229,900 yuan at its April launch.

Reuters’ report on 20 October described a slow start and sharply reduced sales forecasts. Its sales figures stopped in August: an average of 267 cars a month since the April launch, according to consultancy ThinkerCar. Those figures are a separate series from the association’s retail count above.

People familiar with the business told Reuters the car was sold mainly through Volkswagen Anhui’s own dealer network. Two said many buyers did not know it existed.

XPulse’s reading: September adds a stronger month that Reuters’ sales figures did not cover. It is an encouraging change, but one month cannot show how much the price cut, new edition or sales network contributed, or whether the improvement will last.

What the partnership brings XPeng

XPeng earns from the development work before the cars reach customers. Its filings describe engineering fees, partly linked to development milestones, licence fees once production starts, and royalties tied to sales under some contracts. Its annual report says Volkswagen is the main customer for this technology-services revenue.

XPulse’s reading: the UNYX 09 gives Volkswagen another product built around XPeng’s hardware and software, and gives XPeng another route to earn from technology developed for its own cars. Stronger sales would help establish the commercial value of that work. XPeng has not disclosed what each Volkswagen model pays.

The launch on 24 October will set the UNYX 09’s final prices. The next monthly sales figures will show whether the UNYX 08 sustained September’s improvement as the UNYX 09 joins it.