Volkswagen’s Budget-Friendly Electric Car is Set to Make its Debut in 2027

Volkswagen has been teasing its €20,000 electric car for over four years, so it’s understandable if you’ve written it off as just a concept. Initially planned for release in 2025, the affordable EV has faced some delays, but it’s still on track. In fact, VW announced on Wednesday that it will expand its EV lineup with a range of small cars priced lower than any models currently available. Along with an updated roadmap, the company gave its employees a preview of the €20K entry-level EV, with a wider reveal scheduled for next month.

Yes, the teaser photo above offers the first glimpse of the updated €20K (around US$20.8K) car Volkswagen has been discussing for years, first introduced as the 2021 ID. Life concept. The production version will be the entry-level model in Volkswagen’s EV lineup, and while the company hasn’t officially named it yet, the “ID.1” label seems to be a perfect fit—so we’ll stick with it until we hear otherwise.

A Stylish, Modern Look for the ID.1 Concept

From the shadowy front view in the teaser image, the ID.1 concept car appears to be a stylish little vehicle, far removed from the outdated, uninspiring econoboxes of the past. The cheerful four-wheeler greets onlookers with a playful smile and a highly digitized face featuring squinting semi-circle LED headlights. While it’s difficult to draw many conclusions, the proportions seem more “hatchback” than “sedan,” though that might be influenced by past expectations rather than a detailed visual breakdown.

This teaser was part of Volkswagen’s 2024 update on the €20,000 EV project:

Volkswagen Previews ID.1 Concept at Employee Meeting

On Wednesday, Volkswagen executives gave employees their first preview of the upcoming ID.1 concept car during a company meeting in Wolfsburg, where passenger car CEO Thomas Schäfer outlined a multi-year strategic plan with affordable, entry-level mobility as a key focus. The ID.1 show car will be unveiled to the public in March, ahead of its planned production launch in 2027.

“An affordable, high-quality, and profitable electric Volkswagen from Europe for Europe – that’s the Champions League of automotive engineering!” Schäfer proclaimed, drawing a comparison to the esteemed European football competition.

Volkswagen views affordable electric vehicles as a key component of its future strategy. According to the company, of the 1.35 million ID. EVs sold since the family’s debut in 2019, the entry-level ID.3, priced from €33,330 in Germany, accounts for about 500,000 units, or 37% of total sales.

Volkswagen Expands ID Lineup with Affordable Small Electric Cars

The next phase of the ID strategy involves expanding the lineup with a new range of small electric cars built on an updated version of Volkswagen’s modular electric drive (MEB) platform. The first step will be launching the ID.2, the production version of the ID.2all concept hatchback unveiled in 2023. Volkswagen plans to bring this model to dealerships by 2026, with a target base price of “less than €25,000.“

The €20,000 ID.1 is expected to arrive in 2027, provided Volkswagen stays on track with the timeline outlined this week. We anticipate more details on the ID.1’s specifications will be revealed during the concept’s world premiere next month. However, based on the 2021 ID. Life, which originally previewed Volkswagen’s planned €20,000 car, we can expect a 161-inch (409-cm) hatchback with a 231-hp front-wheel drive and an estimated 249-mile (400-km) range. If the new concept stays close to these figures, it could offer a very appealing electric vehicle for €20K.

The ID.1 and ID.2 will be part of a broader strategy, with Volkswagen planning to launch nine new models between now and 2027 as it aims to establish a technological leadership position among global volume car manufacturers.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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