Volkswagen has begun work on an all-new entry-level EV that will sit below the new ID 2 all-EV hatchback. The new Volkswagen ID 1 will be the smallest model in the brand’s line-up of bespoke electric cars.
- VW ID 1 could be called Polo upon global launch
- Will have styling cues shared with the upcoming VW Trinity EV sedan
- Expected to have a 400km-plus range
It will use the front-drive MEB First platform and will be one of four models – the ID 2, Cupra Urban Rebel, and an entry-level Skoda model – built on the platform.
Volkswagen ID 1 EV details
The FWD MEB platform, on which the ID 1 will be built, will enable more cost-effective lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, with economies of scale intended to significantly lower costs. The ID 1 will essentially be twinned with the new ID 2all, which will most likely be slightly bigger and look more like a crossover. This model will be available in foreign countries in 2026.
The new ID 1 will be roughly the same size as the latest-generation combustion-engined Polo (which is not yet available in India) and could possibly use that nameplate, similar to how Volkswagen intends to use the Golf and Tiguan monikers for future EVs.
At the 2021 Munich Motor Show, the German automaker teased what to anticipate from its most inexpensive EV with the quirky ID Life prototype. A new preview picture, however, indicates that the design team has gone back to the drawing board in order to give the final version a greater visual connection to the Volkswagen Trinity sedan, which will go on sale around the same time.
Volkswagen ID 1 EV battery, expected range
It will also be equipped with the same 243hp front-mounted engine and 57kWh battery as the concept, giving it a range of nearly 402km and a 0-100kph speed of less than seven seconds. Overall, it will provide significant speed, economy, and utility enhancements over the Volkswagen e-Up, which it will basically supplant.
