Volkswagen to significantly boost its presence in the e-minivan sector, bolstering its market standing
Volkswagen (VW) has announced plans to introduce four new electric compact vehicles, including the ID. Polo and the Cupra Raval, by 2025. The automaker will build these vehicles in Spain, with the aim of capturing a significant market share in Europe.
The ID. Polo, a production version of the ID.2all study, will have a length of 4.05 meters, similar to the combustion engine Polo. The entry-level version of the ID. Polo is expected to start at €25,000, with a smaller battery and less range. However, the sporty GTI version promises an electric range of up to 450 kilometers and 226 PS.
In a departure from its previous electric models, the design of the ID. Polo is more aligned with combustion engine models. The VW ID. Cross, an electric variant of the T-Cross, and the Skoda Epiq, another SUV variant, will also be part of this new model range. The electric range and PS of the ID. Cross were not specified, but it is expected to follow a similar pattern.
The Cupra Raval, a separate model from the ID. Polo, will be available before the ID. Polo, in the year 2025. The price and battery size of the ID. Cross and the Cupra Raval were not disclosed.
The VW Group, which includes brands like Audi, SEAT, and Skoda, is the clear market leader in Europe for electric cars, holding a 28% market share. The Group increased its delivery of battery-powered vehicles by 47% compared to the same period last year. From January to July, the VW Group sold nearly 466,000 electric cars worldwide.
VW is aiming for a 20% market share in Europe for electric compact cars. The company is also bidding farewell to the numbers in the model names of its electric cars and will call them by their combustion engine names. The ID. Polo and ID. Cross will have "real names" again, as per brand CEO Thomas Schäfer.
VW aims to sell several hundred thousand cars from this new model range each year. The automaker is confident that these new electric vehicles will appeal to a wide audience, helping to drive the adoption of electric cars in Europe.
