Volkswagen ID.1 Electric City Car Previewed

The Volkswagen ID.Every1 concept has been revealed overnight in Europe, providing a first glimpse of the carmaker’s forthcoming ID.1 electric city car.

Volkswagen says the ID.1 will be priced in Europe from €20,000 (AU$34,000) when it goes into production in 2027 – however, that price is likely to be at least AU$40,000 if the model makes it to Australia.

As the spiritual successor to the Volkswagen Up – a city car with its own devoted fan base – the ID.1 will be based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, with a “newly-developed” electric motor driving the front wheels.

While details of the battery haven’t been announced, the ID.Every1 concept is powered by a 70kW electric motor on the front axle, allowing for a top speed of 130km/h and a driving range of more than 250 kilometres on a single charge.

The MEB platform is to be shared across Volkswagen Group brands, and will underpin the VW ID.2 and ID.2X, the Cupra Raval, and the Skoda Epiq.

According to the UK’s Autocar, the ID.1 will be the first model from the Volkswagen Group to use software architecture developed in a joint venture with US electric-car start-up Rivian.

Despite being 3880mm long – almost 200mm shorter than the current VW Polo – the ID.Every1 is said to be big enough to carry four people while providing boot space of 305 litres, compared to the Polo’s 351 litres.

“The ID.Every1 represents the last piece of the puzzle on our way to the widest model selection in the volume segment,” said Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schafer.

“We will then offer every customer the right car with the right drive system – including affordable all-electric entry-level mobility.”

While the Volkswagen ID.1 has been created “from Europe for Europe,” there’s a chance the model could join Australia’s line-up in the future.

“Volkswagen is committed to electrification starting with the Touareg R [Plug-In Hybrid], and the fully-electric ID.4, ID.5 and ID.Buzz,” a spokesperson for Volkswagen Australia told CarSauce.

“We will actively seek further product opportunities given Volkswagen’s significant investment in next-generation electrified vehicles.”