Volkswagen will also offer an ultra-compact, affordable electric car in the future. It will probably be called ID.1 and will be the indirect successor to the e-Up!, VW’s small car that was recently taken off the market after 12 years.
What can we expect from the ID.1? Let’s dive right in to find out.
What will it look like?
Based on initial information and official statements from Volkswagen, we tried to imagine what the ID.1 would look like in our renderings shown above. We know it will be a subcompact hatchback, and there aren’t many variations in this segment, so we believe our renderings are pretty accurate.
As Kai Grunitz, technical director of development for the new model, has already admitted, this Volkswagen will adopt some design elements and aesthetic features from the Up! The ID.1 will “retain the typical functionality of a Volkswagen,” says Grunitz.
How much will it cost?
Volkswagen’s small and affordable electric car, which will reportedly cost less than $22,000 (20,000 euros), could become a reality in the second half of the decade, the German automaker’s CEO Oliver Blume said at a conference yesterday, quoted by Reuters.
What will drive it?
The small electric car is set to be built on a new platform that is different from the MEB platform used for the larger ID.2. To keep production costs down, the architecture will in all likelihood forego some advanced driver assistance systems. It’s also likely that the interior will be focused on versatility rather than technology.
Instead of an infotainment system, there may be a station to which you can connect your smartphone and use it for navigation and multimedia functions – just like in the Up!
It is a city car
As far as the drive system is concerned, it is still too early to give exact specifications. We are expecting a small battery, perhaps around 40 kWh. This could give a range of around 240 to 280 kilometers.
Given the relatively low list prices, Volkswagen does not expect the model to generate large profits. Instead, the ID 1 will try to attract younger customers and retain them in the long term.
When will it start?
At this point in time, Volkswagen has not yet decided whether it will produce a spiritual successor to the e-Up! electric city car, but this car is expected to become a reality.
This micro electric car is expected to go on sale around 2027. It will be the first in a series of compact models from the Volkswagen Group, which will be enriched by the debuts of similar versions from the Skoda, Cupra and Seat brands.
The US is not expected to be on the list of countries where VW will sell this affordable micro electric vehicle.
The competition
VW looks set to fall behind its main rivals in Europe in the race for affordable electric cars. Renault has announced the revival of its iconic Twingo nameplate in the form of a four-door urban electric car that will cost less than $22,000 (€20,000) when deliveries begin in 2026. Stellantis, which owns several European brands, is also looking to get into the affordable electric car business with the help of Chinese manufacturer Leapmotor, which offers a small model in China for $10,900 (RMB79,500).
There is also the Dacia Spring, made in China, and the Citroen e-C3, made in Europe, but these two exceed the psychological threshold of 20,000 euros without taking into account incentives.
The cheaper Citroen Ami / Opel Rocks-E / Fiat Topolino models can also be thrown into the mix. However, they are considered quads and only have space for two people, so they are not exactly continental cruisers.
The other affordable electric car from Volkswagen
Volkswagen intends to launch the production version of the ID. 2all hatchback by 2025 for under $27,000 (€25,000). It will have a range of 450 kilometers and can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in around 20 minutes. However, the similarly sized Renault 5 and Renault 4 models are not scheduled to hit the market until 2024 and 2025 respectively, so VW will have to catch up.
