Volkswagen is giving us another glimpse of its upcoming ‘people’s car’ of the electric era.
The carmaker has released two new design sketches of the compact model, which is due to be revealed in concept form on March 5.
The design study, which is believed to go by the name of ‘IDEvery1’, will spawn a production model by 2025, with a slated starting price of just 20,000 euro, which works out to R386,200 at today’s exchange rate.
This means it will undercut the upcoming ‘ID.2’ production model, which is expected to carry a starting price of 25,000 euro (R482,750) when it debuts in 2026.
No technical details have been released as yet, but the new entry model is widely expected to share a modified evolution of the MEB electric car platform with the aforementioned ID2. A big point of departure is that the compacts will be front-wheel-drive, whereas the larger MEB-underpinned ID.3 and ID.4 models have rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations.
Judging by the teaser sketches released so far, the ‘IDEvery1’ will boast a simplistic design language, aiming to present a “friendly face” as well as “timeless elegance” in the words of Volkswagen’s design team.
“Bold confidence meets timeless simplicity! With its compact yet spacious design, our new entry-level electric car blends functionality and style effortlessly,” Volkswagen said of the upcoming concept car.
“From the charismatic front to the smiling rear end, every detail creates a joyful connection.”
Its debut comes as the German carmaker undergoes some painful cost-cutting, which almost led to the closure of three German plants and tens of thousands of employees being laid off.
In late December, however, the firm reportedly struck a deal with its biggest union, averting plant closures but cutting up to 35,000 jobs in a “socially responsible manner” by 2030, while also removing bonus payments and gradually scaling back production.
Volkswagen said the deal with its workers' union includes “binding targets” and measures agreed to reach them.
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