The Chinese market is extremely important for Volkswagen.

As one of the first Western manufacturers, the brand got involved in the Middle Kingdom more than 40 years ago, at a time when there were only five million cars on the road in huge China and six times as many in small Germany.

Today it is almost the other way around: almost 48 million to a good 240 million.

Boris Smith

Editor in the "Technology and Engine" department.

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Times have changed, China is now the most important market for VW, just in terms of sales.

Around 40 percent of all Volkswagens are sold there.

So it's not surprising that a concept car that will probably become the new Passat celebrated its world premiere in China last week.

The ID Aero is of course still a draft, but it looks pretty close to series production.

The five-meter sedan with the sloping rear is of course a purely electric car, the production version is scheduled to be launched in China in 2023, and a European model will follow shortly thereafter.

It has already been communicated that this is to be built in Emden.

That also speaks for an heir to the VW Passat, which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2023.

All that's really missing is a station wagon variant of the ID Aero, but that can still be.

In 1973 the Passat was also launched as a hatchback.

Volkswagen is particularly proud of the good aerodynamics of the concept car.

The often quoted drag coefficient is only 0.23.

For comparison: The Opel Astra Sports Tourer presented on this page comes to 0.276.

The VW Group's modular e-drive system (MEB) enables a long wheelbase, what is said to be an exceptionally spacious interior and short overhangs.

The energy is provided by the 77 kWh batteries known from the other ID models, which in this case should offer a range of up to 620 kilometers due to their good aerodynamics.

So far, ranges of around 500 kilometers have been specified for the ID vehicles with the 77 battery.

VW sees the Aero as the new top model in the ID line, which currently includes the 3, 4, 5, 6 and the Buzz models.

The ID 6 is only offered in China.

The ID Aero is designed as a world car and, together with remote-controlled software updates, is intended to offer the highest level of digital networking, although the development of this in the group is known to be a little snagged.