Volkswagen has confirmed the future of its electric lineup, revealing the first official image of the ID.1, a budget-friendly electric car which will battle against Chinese rivals with a price starting at less than £17,000.
The car was revealed at a works meeting in Wolfsburg, where Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, shared the company’s ambitious plans for the coming years.
With nine new models planned by 2027, Volkswagen is on a mission to dominate the electric car market and take on new rivals. Schäfer emphasized the significance of this next step in the brand’s electrification journey: "This will be a key step in making electro-mobility attractive for everyone – the clear goal of our brand."
The ID.1 is part of a new small electric vehicle family, which will also include the production version of the ID. 2all, set to debut in 2026 at around £22,000. The ID.1 is expected to make its full public debut as a concept show car in March this year, with a production model release planned for 2027.
Engineers at Wolfsburg are spearheading work on the SSP platform, a new modular electric architecture that will be shared across Volkswagen’s various brands.
There will be nine new models launched by 2027, including the ID. 2all and ID.1.
The ID.1 aims to expand access to electric vehicles urban commuters and budget-conscious families. Schäfer described this challenge as "the Champions League of automobile manufacturing," underlining the complexity of producing an affordable electric car in Europe.
The ID.1 picture proves the company has had a rethink of its small car strategy as it is simpler than the ID Life, a concept car which was the star of the 2021 Munich Motor Show. The new model appears to follow the ID.2all with more conservative styling.
