√Volkswagen confirms $32,000 ID.1 electric car

VW’s global boss confirms an entry-level ID.1 electric car will launch by 2027 with a price of around $AU32,000.

Volkswagen has confirmed it’s working an entry-level electric car, the ID.1, that will slot into the brand’s range of battery-powered vehicles by 2027.

Set to be the smallest model in Volkswagen’s electric car line-up, the company is, according to a report in the UK’s Autocar, “working full steam ahead” on the city-sized model that the German manufacturer is hoping will go on sale for under €20,000 (approximately $AU32,000).

“We’re also working on a vehicle below €20,000 that will be even a bigger challenge,” said Volkswagen boss Thomas Schäfer.

“It’s part of our DNA where Volkswagen has also a commitment that we all have to embrace and we’re working on at full steam ahead. In the next couple of months we will be reporting on this.”

Smaller in size than the Polo-sized ID.2all revealed overnight (pictured below), the ID.1 is expected to share components with its bigger sibling including a shortened version of VW’s MEB Entry front-wheel-drive electric platform (bottom).

Schäfer admitted there were challenges to producing an affordable, entry-level electric car, stating “it’s not an easy game at all”.

With the ID.2all measures in about the size of a current Volkswagen Polo, the company has flagged that it could adopt the Golf nameplate, leaving the smaller Up!-sized ID.1 to wear the Polo badge.

“The Polo is very successful and one of our icons, and we’re going to use that vehicle concept in the future as well,” said Schäfer.

“Whether we use the same name of the vehicle we don’t know yet. We’re currently working on those iconic names into the future to make sense of the product line-up.”

Although unconfirmed, it’s likely the ID.1 will share some of the electric technology from its bigger sibling, although with VW pushing to get the car below the €20,000 entry point, it’s likely the ID.1 will feature a smaller battery – and therefore driving range – than the ID.2all.

It’s fitted with either a 38kWh or 56kWh battery pack, giving the ID.2all a WLTP-tested driving range of up to 450km (with the bigger battery).

Economies of scale means that the ID.1 platform will also likely underpin models from Cupra and Skoda.

The ID.1 was first revealed as a teaser sketch in 2022.

Australia is yet to receive any Volkswagen-badged electric cars, although the medium SUV ID.4 is set to go on sale locally by the end of the year with a refreshed ID.3 hatchback coming in 2024, along with the ID.5 coupe-like SUV and ID.Buzz people mover also in 2024.

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