The concept is based on the standard Lavida, which has been on sale in China since 2008 and is the first Volkswagen to be designed and developed entirely by Shanghai Volkswagen, without the input of Volkswagen in Germany.

The Lavida is based on the platform of the Golf MK 4, and the E-Lavida Concept previews Volkswagen's Electric Vehicle, or e-Mobility, strategy for the Chinese market. Volkswagen says it will start producing electric vehicles in China from 2013 or 2014.

According to Winfried Vahland, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, "The e-mobility strategy for China is perfectly tailored to local needs. Volkswagen will provide its entire BlueMotion technology to the two Chinese joint ventures for local production. The Volkswagen Group China has a hundred percent committed to the aim of providing Chinese consumers with innovative, energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies available to achieve sustainable development. We are confident that will develop the Volkswagen Group China through our commitment to the market leader for e-mobility technologies in China."

Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen AG, added, "Our goal is market leadership in e-Mobility (by) 2018. China is the world's most important market for the Volkswagen Group, and the success of e-mobility in China is crucial to the global implementation of (the) e-Mobility strategy."