Words: Autocar
Published 12 August 2026
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has released another round of filings, which lifts the lid on numerous upcoming vehicle releases.
While not all of these vehicles will make it to New Zealand, it is interesting to see them in production guise ahead of the official unveiling.
BMW iX3 L
The long-wheelbase version of the BMW iX3 is arguably the most interesting and topical, given the recent launch of the standard version in our part of the world.
At 4,885mm long, it’s still something of a baby in this company – quite a bit shorter than the likes of the Xiaomi YU7, but still around 10cm longer than the version the rest of the world gets.
Even then, it edges the YU7 on wheelbase at 3,005mm long, and comes equipped with similar power to the YU7’s mid-range Pro variant, offering a 116kW motor on the front axle and 235kW on the rear for a total of 351kW of around 470hp.
Battery size remains a mystery for now, but we know it’ll be a NMC unit from CATL.
Mercedes-Benz VLE
At 5,310mm long, the VLE is big, and a fraction shorter than China’s Voyah Dreamer but still almost 20cm shorter than a Maextro V900, with a 9cm shorter wheelbase at 3,340mm.
Power comes from a 200kW motor on the front axle in single motor versions, with dual motor variants adding a 105kW motor on the rear axle, less than the base Zeekr 009, and less than half the 009’s maximum 680kW output.
The images reveal a 2+2+3 seating formation with second row captain’s chairs with screens in the armrests, but worth noting is the chunky third row seats which, when folded, still take a hunk of space and don’t fold into the floor like those on an XPeng X9.
Volkswagen ID. ERA 5X (SAIC-VW)
VW’s rapid range refresh shows no signs of abating with yet another ERA SUV entering the fray, this time in the high-volume compact SUV segment in the form of the 5X.
Produced by SAIC Volkswagen, the 5X will be the first product on the CMP (China Main Platform) architecture — a joint SAIC-VW effort at a China-native EV skateboard.
At 4,560mm long with a 2,815mm wheelbase, it’ll be going head-to-head with the likes of the BYD Yuan Plus and Geely Galaxy E5, but will run counter to the updates of both of those models by offering a single-motor front-drive producing 155kW.
Dongfeng Nissan NX7 PHEV
The first vehicle we’ll see in our part of the world from the Nissan and Dongfeng joint venture will be the plug-in hybrid ute, but it opens the door for things like this to follow.
The NX7 PHEV is 4,785mm long with a 2,815mm wheelbase, so slightly smaller than the BEV, and the powertrain looks to be a 170kW electric motor supported by a 1.5-litre engine. Battery is LFP from CATL’s FAW joint venture, Time-FAW.
For Nissan globally, this is a big deal — the NX7 PHEV is essentially Nissan’s first proper China-designed, China-built PHEV, and if it works here it’s going to be Nissan’s template for a lot of markets outside the US.
Wey V9X BEV
GWM’s Wey brand has long trodden the PHEV route within the stable but, just as sister brand Ora turns from EV towards ICE, Wey looks set to drop its first fully electric SUV in the form of the V9X, which is debuted here in extended wheelbase form.
Measuring in at 5,299mm long, it’s one of the longest SUVs on the Chinese market, and accommodates a sizeable 3,150mm wheelbase, enough for three-rows and six-seats.
Power will be just as large, with dual motors producing 220kW at the front and 320kW at the rear for 540kW, or well over 700hp.
Wheels come in a pair of 21-inch variants, including dish-style, while the popular two-tone paintwork trend will also be offered.
