VW Might Shut Down Plant In Germany Amidst Fierce Competition
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.
VW
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The VW ID GTI will be based on the ID.2all which was revealed back in March 2023.
VW ID.3 GTX Performance Gets VW’s Most Powerful Electric Motor
The Performance trim of the VW ID.3 GTX is the go-to option for those looking to channel their inner driving enthusiast.
Rivian Teases 5 New EVs After $5 Billion VW Investment
The legendary German auto giant pledges $5 billion investment in the American EV startup by 2026.
VW Confirms An Affordable €20,000 Entry-Level EV For 2027
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.
VW CEO Says PHEVs Are Necessary Transitional Technology
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.
5 Upcoming VW Electric Cars to Debut in 2023 – From New ID.3 to ID.7
VW has been unveiling electric car models under its ID sub-brand for a while now and it has announced to launch 10 new EVs by 2026. The upcoming electric cars from VW are slated to cover the entire spectrum of the segments in any automobile market. We are talking about EVs ranging from sub €20,000 to the recently unveiled flagship electric sedan, ID.7 and everything in between. This is the age of legacy automakers trying to transition to electric vehicles to keep up with the future trend. We take a look at some of the most awaited electric cars from the German auto giant. You might also like: Cupra Born vs VW ID.3 – Which One Should You Pick? 5 Upcoming VW Electric Cars VW ID. 2all The much-talked-about compact EV from Volkswagen that will cost less than €25,000 is the ID. 2all. Its concept avatar made its premiere recently. VW says that it will be a front-wheel-driven EV with a range of 450 km and will be based on the new MEB Entry platform. The electric motor will generate 166 kW (226 PS) of peak power and DC charging from 10-80% will take ~20 mins. The VW ID. 2all will boast a top speed of 160 km/h. It can go from 0–100 km/h in under 7 secs. In terms of dimensions, it measures 4,050 mm in length, 1,812 mm in width, and 1,530 mm in height. The compact car comes with a wheelbase of 2,600 mm. It gets 490 to 1,330 litres of storage capacity and the production version will be launched in 2025. It would have Travel Assist ADAS features along with IQ.LIGHT. You might also like: MG Cyberster EV To Be The Most Powerful MG Yet New VW ID.3 The new ID.3 will come with a 77 kWh battery pack in its top, Pro S trim that will power an electric motor to belt out 204 PS of peak power with a range of 347 miles (558 km – WLTP). The battery could be charged via a 170 kW DC fast charger. It will have the latest-gen Travel Assist functions for ADAS, OTT Updates for Software, Recycled Materials on the inside, an Augmented Reality Head-Up Display, a 12-inch Infotainment Display will be standard, and more. The price of the top trim starts at £42,870 (OTR) in the UK. The 58 kWh Pro trim with 265 miles (426 km) range starts at £37,115 (OTR). You might also like: Polestar 4 vs Polestar 3 – Specs, Features, Price Comparison VW ID.7 Volkswagen premiered the ID.7 last month based on the MEB platform with a WLTP range of 700 km from the 86 kWh battery with the efficient electric motor able to generate 210 kW (286 PS) of peak power. There will be 200 kW DC fast charging capabilities and the drag coefficient is about 0.23. The nearly 5 m long mid-size electric sedan will have a 15-inch Infotainment Display, AR Head-up Display, and Travel Assist ADAS functions, among others. The launch is slated for autumn 2023 in Europe and China with North America receiving it in 2024. You might also like: First-Ever Mercedes Maybach EQS Luxury SUV Revealed VW ID. Buzz LWB The much-anticipated Long Wheelbase version of the VW ID. Buzz will debut in June this year (2023) and the US launch will take place in Summer 2024. It will get a larger than 77 kWh battery pack with the base trim good for 201 hp from a single-motor layout while the dual-motor setup could produce 295 hp, the same as the AWD version of the ID.4. You might also like: VW e up City EV – Specs, Range, Features, Price & More VW ID.1 Now, while there will be some mid-life updates of ID.4 and ID.5, we have decided to list the smallest member of the ID family that VW has announced, will cost even less than €20,000. Since, this is a long time away, no details about it have been shared yet. Our guess is that it could replace the e-Up. The coming couple of years will be exciting for VW loyalists.
VW e up City EV – Specs, Range, Features, Price & More
While many prominent carmakers are creating extravagant and grand electric cars, the need for compact and efficient EVs can’t be denied. The VW e up represents perfectly, why people would want a compact electric car to run their daily errands. In this age of electric mobility, range and efficiency are being given priority, and rightly so. To maximize both these aspects, EVs need to be compact and/or aerodynamically sound. E-Up is able to tick those boxes in addition to being a product of an established carmaker. That gives a lot of peace of mind in a market where new players are emerging left and right. You might also like: Microlino Urban Mini EV – Specs, Range, Price & More VW E Up – Specs It may be a compact electric vehicle, but it sports decent specs to make the ride enjoyable still. The city EV has a 32.2 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack powering the electric motor (FWD) to deliver a healthy 80 hp and 210 Nm of peak power and torque respectively. The WLTP range is an acceptable 258 km. Charging the EV to 80% using a 40 kW DC fast charger will take 60 mins. A 12.7 kWh power consumption per 100 km is not bad either. VW e-Up Specs Drivetrain FWD Battery 32.2 kWh Range 258 km (WLTP) (160 miles) Power / Torque 80 hp / 210 Nm Charging (40 kW DC) 60 mins (up to 80%) Charging (7.2 kW AC) over 4 hours Consumption 12.7 kWh / 100 km VW e up – Specs You might also like: Is Honda e The Perfect City EV? – Specs, Range & More! VW E Up Dimensions If you are buying a city EV, it is due to its compact dimensions that will help in complex city manoeuvres. On that front, the e-Up strikes a great balance between compact design and enough space inside the cabin to NOT make you feel claustrophobic. VW e-Up Dimensions Length 3,600 mm Width 1,645 mm Height 1,492 mm Wheelbase 2,417 mm VW e up – Dimensions Interior and Features The cabin layout of the e-Up represents the typically understated Volkswagen design language. The features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Touchscreen Infotainment System, 6-Speaker Audio System, Navigation, 2 Monitors on the Dashboard, Lane Assist, Traffic Sign Reminder, Climatronic A/C, Leather-Trimmed Multifunction Steering Wheel, and more. You might also like: Cupra Born vs VW ID.3 – Which One Should You Pick? Price and Rivals Owing to its massive popularity, Volkswagen sold around 41,500 units of the EV in 2021 alone. The deliveries were stopped due to the waiting period extending up to 16 months. But VW started taking orders again in early 2022. The price of the e-Up in Germany is €26,895 (approx $27,867 USD) inclusive VAT before €9,570 environmental and innovation premium deduction. The rivals include the SEAT Mii Electric and Skoda Citigo.
Cupra Born vs VW ID.3 – Which One Should You Pick?
The compact electric crossover segment is getting heated up and these two are quite prominent products which is why we compare the two in terms of specs, dimensions, prices and features. The Cupra Born and VW ID.3 are excellent options for all those looking for a compact city-friendly electric crossover. They have a distinct style, practicality and affordability in addition to being feature-laden and environment-supportive. Cupra is the performance division of SEAT, while ID represents the future-oriented electric nameplate from Volkswagen. But it must be mentioned here that Volkswagen Group owns Cupra. Let us compare these two to determine which one suits you the best. You might also like: Leapmotor C11 Electric SUV Specs, Range, Price & More! You might also like: 2022 Porsche Taycan – Price, Variants, Specs, Range, & More Cupra Born vs VW ID.3 – Specs Comparison Interestingly, both these are quite similar in terms of specs which makes things very interesting indeed. Born is a bit varied when it comes to powertrain options and also has a bigger battery pack option which offers significantly more range than the ID.3. Note that the Cupra Born comes in two variants – Born and Born e-Boost. As for ID.3, currently, only the Life variant is available in the UK. Specs Comparison Cupra Born VW ID.3 Battery 58 & 77 kWh 58 kWh Range 343 mi (552 km) [w/ 77 kWh] 265 mi (426 km) Power / Torque 231 hp / 310 Nm 200 hp / 310 Nm Acceleration (0-100 km/h) 6.6 secs [w/ 58 kWh] 7.3 secs Charging (DC Fast) 30 mins up to 80% in 30 mins Euro NCAP 5 Star 5 Star Cupra Born vs VW ID.3 Specs Comparison You might also like: Canoo Electric Pickup Truck Could Be The EV You Really Need Cupra Born vs VW ID.3 – Dimensions Comparison Being urban electric crossovers/hatchbacks, both these EVs have comparable sizes. As seen from the table below, the Cupra is longer than the VW but the wheelbase (space inside the cabin) is quite identical. Incidentally, both have the exact same boot space. Dimensions Cupra Born VW ID.3 Length 4,324 mm 4,261 mm Width 2,070 mm (w/ mirrors) 1,809 mm (w/o mirrors) Height 1,540 mm 1,568 mm Wheelbase 2,766 mm 2,770 mm Boot Space 385 litres 385 litres Dimensions Comparison Price Comparison The main reason for comparing these two EVs is the proximity of their prices. That is what makes the decision a bit confusing for a whole bunch of people. The Born starts at £34,715 (on the road). On the other hand, ID.3 starts at £36,195 (on the road). Price Cupra Born VW ID.3 Starting at £34,715 £36,195 All prices on the road You might also like: VinFast VF8 Will Be The First EV From Vietnam Features Comparison The Cupra Born comes with features like a 12-inch Floating Infotainment Display, a 5.3-inch Digital Cockpit Display, Panoramic Sunroof, Bucket Seats at the rear, e-Boost Mode, 20-inch Alloys, Cupra Connect Gen 4 App, Navigation System, Augmented Reality Heads Up Display, 360-degree Camera, ADAS Functions, Wireless Smartphone Connectivity and Charging, Recycled Materials used inside the cabin, Premium Beats Audio System, Voice Recognition, 12-way Electrically Adjustable Front Seats with Lumbar Support and Massage Function, LTE Connectivity, and much more. On the other hand, the ID.3 is equally impressive with functions like a 10-inch Infotainment Display, Bluetooth, Wireless Charging, Panoramic Sunroof, Augmented Reality Heads Up Display, Premium Audio System, Predictive Navigation, Voice Assistant, 30-coloured Ambient Lighting, Heated Steering Wheel, Height Adjustable Front Seats, Car2X Vehicle Networking, e-SIM Connectivity, Rear View Camera, Front and Rear Parking Sensors, Adaptive Cruise Control and more.