First photo of Volkswagen's economical small electric car released

The Volkswagen ID.1 will be unveiled for the first time in concept form on 5 March. A first teaser image showing the nose of the small £17,000 German electric car, which has been written about extensively over the years, will set the date for next month.

It is a model with an all-electric powertrain that will bring Volkswagen back to the A segment, the city car segment.

Little sister

'An affordable, high-quality, profitable electric Volkswagen from Europe for Europe. It is the Champions League of automotive engineering'. He did not mince words in describing the Volkswagen ID.1 Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the German manufacturer. An enthusiasm that is probably also the result of the end of negotiations with the trade unions, which led to the decision not to close plants in Europe. Even if, as Volkswagen itself admits, it is negotiating with Chinese manufacturers to divest two factories.

'An affordable, high-quality, profitable electric Volkswagen from Europe for Europe. It is the Champions League of automotive engineering'. This is how Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the German manufacturer, describes the Volkswagen ID.1. This enthusiasm is probably also the result of the end of negotiations with the trade unions, which led to the decision not to close any plants in Europe. Although, as Volkswagen itself admits, it is negotiating with Chinese manufacturers to sell two factories.

Volkswagen ID.1, the first teaser

Photos by: Volkswagen

Volkswagen ID.1, the first teaser

The Volkswagen ID.1 will be based on the MEB entry-level platform, a modified version of the one used by the Group's various ID.3, ID.4 and other electric cars, with front-wheel drive rather than rear-wheel drive to allow more space in the boot. The mechanism will make its debut in 2026 with the production version of the ID.2, the small electric car (the dimensions of which should be those of the Polo, with a length of around 4 metres) that will arrive in 2026. It is derived from the ID.2all concept.

City crossover?

Looking at the first teaser photo of Volkswagen's economical small electric car, the first thing you notice is the illuminated logo in the middle, but without a light strip connecting it to the square light clusters. This is probably not so much an aesthetic decision as an economic one.

There are no particular elements to define its shape, although the stance seems slightly raised, suggesting a small crossover stance. Aimed mainly at the city, we can imagine regular shapes to help the best perception of the overall dimensions, with vertical surfaces. The dimensions will be compact, probably a little more than the 3.6 metre length of the Volkswagen Up!

Volkswagen Up!

Beyond the platform, it is difficult to anticipate anything in terms of engines and batteries. We certainly won't be looking at data sheets with startling figures, given the intended use. The only thing we know for sure is the price: around £17,000.

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VW delivered around 4.8 million vehicles worldwide in 2024