VW has reportedly
green-lit an affordable electric crossover model that will go on sale in 2022
for around 20,000 euros. We first heard the
news on VW wanting to offer an EV for US$ 23k last week, and now Autocar says that
VW’s entry-level electric model will be a compact crossover with similar dimensions
to the T-Roc.
This will be the
fifth electric model from Volkswagen, which by 2022 will have already launched
the Neo hatchback (the production version of the I.D. hatch) and the Crozz,
Buzz and Vizzion EVs. The goal for the project is to create a new people’s car
in a bid to repeat the success of the original Beetle and Golf in the 21st
century.
Diess has recently
said that the company’s engineers are working on an electric model that aims to
be priced at half that of the Tesla Model 3, without providing further
information. The British publication says that the idea behind the entry-level
I.D. model is a car with classless design appeal, excellent interior space
within a compact footprint, and an affordable price.
As with the rest of
the I.D. models, the entry-level electric crossover will be based on the new
MEB modular architecture that’s been specifically designed for EVs. The
electric motor will be mounted at the front and the battery will have enough
capacity to provide a driving range of over 300 km.
In order to hit its
aggressive price target, the new electric VW will most likely be offered with
front-wheel drive only and keep a range of connectivity features in the options
list. Audi, Seat and Skoda will also offer similar models. Production will take
place at the Emden factory in Germany, which currently builds the Passat and
Arteon, which will reportedly move to Skoda’s factory in Kvasiny.
