Wolfsburg, Germany - Although Volkswagen’s new ID.3 is billed as the company’s first mass-production electric car, it’s a semi-premium, Golf-sized car that’s not necessarily affordable to the masses, with European prices starting at 30 000 euro (R560 000).
However something more akin to an electric car for the people is set to hit the scene in 2023, the UK’s Car Magazine
reports.
According to the publication the vehicle will be called the ID.1 and unlike the e-Up that it replaces, the new city car will be built around a simplified version of Volkswagen’s MEB modular platform for electric cars, a dedicated architecture that also underpins the ID.3.
Volkswagen will reportedly also offer a crossover version of the ID.1.
It’s not clear at this stage how much the new city car will cost or how far it will travel between charges, but Car reports that the base version should boast a range of just under 300km.
It’s too early to say whether it would come to South Africa, but it is a possibility, given that Volkswagen plans to launch the ID.4 electric crossover locally in 2022, paving the way for the possible introduction of other electric cars further down the line.
VWSA’s electric car strategy kicks off this year, with a limited number of e-Golf models being tested by dealers, Volkswagen employees and the media. The ID.3 will enter the test fleet in 2021 but like the e-Golf, it will not be offered for sale. The ID.4 will thus be the first Volkswagen electric vehicle to be marketed to the public.