The German automaker is gearing up to unveil
another Volkswagen I.D. concept at next year’s NAIAS in Detroit.
The new concept appears to be a futuristic
take on the classic Microbus rather than a hatchback, based on these teaser
images released by VW. We see parts the concept’s front- and rear-end
design, where horizontally-placed LED headlamps and taillights are visible,
similar to those on the I.D. hatchback.
The frontal view also shows plenty of cues from the
original Microbus, with an upright face and windscreen, short overhangs, as
well as the V-shaped feature line seen on the original MPV. A modern touch
applied here is the illuminated VW badge.
According to VW, the concept “forges links between
the legendary origins of the Volkswagen brand and its electrifying future,” and
utilises the Modular Electric Platform (MEB), which was first used on another
electric van – the BUDD-e Concept.
In this instance, the I.D. van is powered by two
electric motors, one on each axle, and offers all-wheel drive. VW says the
concept is capable of a “long electric drive range” but did not disclose any
figures. The September I.D. hatch is claimed to deliver 600 km of range with a
170 PS electric motor as motivation.
The company also says that the van concept is
capable of full autonomous driving, with laser scanners, ultrasonic and radar
sensors and cameras used to monitor other road users and the surroundings. To activate it, one only needs to “lightly” press
the Volkswagen logo in the cabin, and the electrically retractable steering
wheel disappears into the cockpit, as you can see in one of the teaser images.
From there, the driver only needs to relax and the car will drive itself to the
desired destination.
The upcoming I.D. van is
another step towards VW’s Strategy 2025, where it plans to release a fully
autonomous drive mode called I.D. Pilot, as well as more than 30 new
pure-electric vehicles by 2025.
