VW Group CEO Herbert Diess has just released sketches of its three ultra-compact urban electric cousins from Volkswagen, Cupra and Škoda. According to Herr Diess they aim to “make the access to e-mobility easier and push the country’s future of mobility for generations to come.”
The city slickers will be launched in 2025 and will sit on a shortened MEB EV platform that the ID3 and ID4 are based on. They will replace the Volkswagen e-Up, Škoda Citigo-e iV and Seat Mii Electric city EVs and will most likely feature single motors driving the rear axles.
If you like a helping of sauerkraut with your chorizo you’ll be happy to learn that all three models will be built at a production plant in Spain as part of a sizable €10 billion initiative to build a new battery factory in the Sagunto region to supply automotive production lines in Matorell and Pamplona. Power will come from a solar panel farm down the road and annual capacity will be 40 GWh. More than 3 000 jobs will be created in what the company describe as the “biggest industrial investment ever made in Spain.” Construction is set to commence in 2023, with battery production starting in 2026. This is the third of six battery factories that Volkswagen will build in Europe by 2030, with the other two already confirmed for Germany and Sweden. The remaining three factories will be built either in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland or Slovakia.
The Volkswagen sketches show that the 2021 ID Life concept’s retro-design has been replaced by a curvier, futuristic look. Škoda will adopt their new ‘Modern Solid’ design direction and it looks likely that the Czech model will differentiate itself via a more rugged but simple styling approach. It is interesting to note that Seat will be launching its urban EV under Cupra, their premium performance-focused brand. Cupra got our hearts racing last year at the Munich Motor Show with their motorsport-inspired Cupra UrbanRebel. Cupra boss Wayne Griffiths stated that the little beast “gives an idea of the design language of the future street car and will inspire its creation.” However, a few Covid-19 variants later and the freshly released sketch seems less boy racer, more Madrid runabout that aligns with its German and Czech cousins’ looks. Gone is the massive rear wing and aggressive stance but Curpa will most likely hang on to itsmachismo DNA, so don’t put away the Cava just yet.
Words: Thys de Beer
Keyword: Small EVs, Big Investment for Volkswagen, Cupra and Škoda