Baby Volkswagen ID.1 electric car confirmed

Volkswagen has confirmed it is working on an all-new electric city car that will slot in underneath the production version of the Volkswagen ID.2all concept it revealed overnight.

Unsurprisingly, the baby EV is being developed under the Volkswagen ID.1 moniker.

While the 2025 Volkswagen ID.2 will retail from less than €25,000 ($A40,000) in Germany, the Polo-sized ID.1 is being developed alongside its Golf-sized sibling with a sub-€20,000 ($A32,000) starting price.

Both cars will share many components, although the smaller and cheaper model is expected to look more like a crossover than a traditional hatch.

“We’re also working on a vehicle below €20,000 that will be even a bigger challenge,” said Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schäfer at the ID.2all media briefing.

“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.”

Although exterior measurements will be akin to the Polo, the ID.1 should offer Golf-like levels of space inside the cabin, while a battery size of around 57kWh will provide for a range of at least 400km.

Lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries will offer charging up to 200kW (up from 135kW on the current Volkswagen ID.3) and be far cheaper to produce than current lithium-ion cells.

As per the ID.2, the ID.1 will be based on the Volkswagen Group’s new MEB Entry architecture.

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