VW Releases Official Sketches Of Its Upcoming Entry-Level EV
The global debut of the concept model is slated for March 3
The global debut of the concept model is slated for March 3
The German car marque plans to introduce 9 new EV models by 2027 including the ID.2all which will cost less than €25,000 ($26,000)
The collaboration of the German auto giant with the American EV startup was established in June last year
The VW ID.7 Pro S is an all-electric sedan which has an aerodynamic fastback design to maximize efficiency and reduce drag
The fact that one of the largest carmakers on the planet is having to resort to such measures is indicative of how dire the situation is.
The VW ID GTI will be based on the ID.2all which was revealed back in March 2023.
The Performance trim of the VW ID.3 GTX is the go-to option for those looking to channel their inner driving enthusiast.
The legendary German auto giant pledges $5 billion investment in the American EV startup by 2026.
Volkswagen Group has been contemplating a €20,000 EV for quite some time now. VW has finally announced that its affordable €20,000 ($21,680 as per current exchange rates) entry-level EV will debut in 2027. The Wolfsburg-based auto giant has been working relentlessly on an inexpensive electric car to cater to the masses for a long time now. That is in line with its promise to create mobility for all in the upcoming electrified world. While not many details are available at the moment, we can assume the working title to be ID.1 for the moment. You might also like: VW CEO Says PHEVs Are Necessary Transitional Technology VW Announces Entry-Level EV For 2027 The official press release from Volkswagen Group mentions that in order to achieve the ambitious target of offering an EV for €20,000, a “high degree of localization” is needed. This model will initially be for the European market only. A key advantage of that is the reduction of long transport routes, which consequently minimizes CO2 pollution. Once the customers embrace it, we might witness it moving to other parts of the world. During this announcement, Volkswagen Group even released a teaser image of the silhouette of this entry-level EV. Albeit not much could be deduced from the image, it evidently bears a crossover body type. On top of that, one could even recognize the tall-boy stance with a short wheelbase. The wheel arches are quite well-pronounced. The rear section showcases a roof-mounted spoiler. The ID.2 SUV (slated to debut in 2026) inspiration is vivid. Management Comments On this momentous occasion, Oliver Blume, CEO Volkswagen Group said, “Generations of people associate the strong brands of the Volkswagen Group with their first car – and with affordable mobility. As a group with strong brands, we continue to assume this social responsibility to this day. That’s why I’m very pleased that we’re launching a future-oriented project. It’s about entry-level electric mobility from Europe for Europe. In doing so, we combine a clear commitment to Europe as an industrial location, a European industrial policy and ultimately act in the interests of European customers.” The CEO of the Volkswagen brand and head of the Brand Group Core, Thomas Schäfer remarked, “The future is electric. In order for electromobility to become widespread, attractive vehicles are needed, especially in the entry-level segment. Our brand promise is: electromobility for all. This promise is now being fulfilled in the Brand Group Core. Despite the attractive price, our vehicles will set standards in the entry-level segment in terms of technology, design, quality, and customer experience. This task has become more demanding due to rising energy, material, and raw material costs. One thing is clear: electromobility from Europe for Europe can only succeed with political support and competitive framework conditions.” You might also like: Hyundai Ioniq 7 Electric SUV Spied Testing Ahead of June 27 Debut Learn Electric Cars Says Affordable electric cars are what all major carmakers are heading toward. Due to the exorbitant prices of EV batteries in the last few years, it was almost impossible to offer a comparable vehicle at a price point in the vicinity of the ICE car. But with time, the battery costs have come down. The other enormous issue preventing mass adoption is range anxiety due to the lack of charging infrastructure. That is also being addressed by various governments around the world. Finally, the initial wave seemed to have plateaued, at least in the big markets like the U.S., China and the EU. Going forward, only low-cost EVs will be able to spur demand and generate traction and sales. Hence, most legacy carmakers are aiming for that enticing under-$25,000 price point. Once that becomes widespread and charging infrastructure catches up, we are bound to have more EVs on the roads.
It looks like increasingly more carmakers are having to delay their complete electrification plans to incorporate a transitional step in the journey of future mobility. VW CEO, Thomas Schäfer, spoke at the Financial Times Future of the Car conference about PHEVs being the necessary transitional technology to reach the ultimate goal of electric mobility. With this, VW joins the expanding group of legacy car marques who are backtracking on their decision to skip hybrid cars to reach fully electric vehicles. At this conference, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida and Hyundai President José Muñoz echoed the same strategy. You might also like: CATL Unveils World’s First LFP Battery With a 1,000-km Range PHEVs Are Transitional Technology Volkswagen currently sells hybrid iterations of its popular Golf, Passat and Tiguan cars. Schäfer feels that PHEVs could continue to play a critical role in this transition phase from ICE cars to electric cars for a bit longer than previously anticipated. He also resonates with the latest reports of EV demand “plateauing”. He mentions that when VW was offering the aforementioned models in hybrid avatars, it was frowned upon. But he says, “Now I’m very glad we did. We have an offer and we will probably have to even extend it. It’s a bridge technology. While battery-electric drive is plateauing out a bit at the moment, we still need this transitional technology.” I must mention here that the VW CEO is not backing out of the EV plans as he is “absolutely sure the future is electric”. Furthermore, he confirms that VW will carry on with what it has and will not build a completely new powertrain. Finally, he also elucidates that VW won’t necessarily have a hybrid variant of every model it sells in every part of the world. Instead, the German auto giant will focus on reducing the costs of hybrids while boosting the pure electric range to offer something meaningful to the customers. These two are the top concerns among potential buyers at the moment. Remember, VW hybrid cars are already ahead of most carmakers with a pure electric driving range in the vicinity of 62 miles (100 km). Boosting this range further could be exactly what the buyers are looking for. You might also like: Ford Will Have Hybrids In Every Segment – Ford CEO Jim Farley Learn Electric Cars Says The debate of whether or not hybrids still have a significant future has been brewing for a while now. While many wrote off hybrids as the technology of the past, the recent slowdown in EV sales across major global markets has reignited interest in hybrid cars today. While I am almost fully convinced that the future of mobility is electric, I don’t think that it will arrive as soon as people are anticipating. There are still numerous challenges prevailing around mass EV adoption including range anxiety, charging times, charging infrastructure, material sourcing for batteries, battery recycling, etc. Not to mention, even the governments are slowly reducing incentives to buy electric cars. Hence, it won’t be an easy, brisk or smooth transition. I am of the opinion that hybrid cars are here to stay for the foreseeable future to reduce friction while transitioning from ICE cars to EVs.