Volkswagen is developing an affordable electric supermini, designed to undercut the Peugeot e-208
- All-new MEB-Entry underpinnings
- Range of around 280 miles
- Due on sale before the end of 2025
With the MG4 hugely undercutting its competition on price, manufacturers are scrambling to provide an answer to the British-Chinese brand’s budget electric family car. It seems VW’s entry into the ring isn’t all that far away; the ID.2all concept car confirms the imminent arrival of an electric supermini, which is also expected to spawn a small SUV in time.
The production version of the Volkswagen ID.2all will rival the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric when it arrives in 2025, and the brand has revealed some of its targeted specifications for the first time. They include a range of around 280 miles and a single front-mounted electric motor with a punchy 223bhp capable of sending the supermini from 0-62mph in around seven seconds.
It’s touted as being quick away from the charging station as well as the lights, thanks to a 10 to 80% top-up time of around 20 minutes. The latest Peugeot e-208 takes 25 minutes to go from 20 to 80%, so it appears the small Volkswagen will be ideal for those wanting to take their small EV further afield. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that such competitive range and charging statistics won’t necessarily apply to the entry circa-£20k version, but a more expensive range-topper instead.
The forthcoming model is set to be the first model to sit on the German automaker’s all-new MEB-Entry underpinnings. This is an offshoot of the MEB architecture found in the larger Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5, with a switch to front-wheel drive to make it cheaper to manufacture and to allow for a bigger boot – VW is targeting up to 490 litres behind the seats and 1,330 litres with them folded down. That’s more than the ID.3, and 100 litres extra compared with the current Polo. If you need even more space, a 50-litre lockable compartment can also be found beneath the second row of seats that’s ideal for valuables like laptops.
The ID.2all concept measures 4,050mm in length, 1,812mm wide and 1,530mm tall, with a long 2,600mm wheelbase (the gap between the front and rear axles) to boost interior space. For context, while the car is slightly shorter than a Polo, its wheelbase is five centimetres longer. It’s anticipated that an SUV version of Volkswagen’s EV supermini will follow within a year of the production car’s launch.
2023 Volkswagen ID.2all design
The latest concept has been designed rather quickly amidst leadership changes at Volkswagen, with its new design boss Andreas Mindt (formerly of Audi and Bentley) only in the post since the start of February. The ID.2all is simpler than the ID.3, and could easily be mistaken for a combustion-engined supermini rather than an EV. A strong crease runs along the car’s flanks, and its rear door handles are ‘hidden’ in the rear pillar for a tidy look.
Mindt has taken inspiration from past models including the Volkswagen Beetle, Golf and Polo rather than trying to break the mould. It’s said to encompass VW’s key values of “stability, likeability and excitement.” The concept sits on large 20-inch alloy wheels, and uses a C-pillar design that’s a nod to the original Mk1 Golf.
On the inside, the Volkswagen ID.2 will adopt the same minimalist interior design as other ID.-badged Volkswagen models, dominated by a pair of displays measuring 10.9-inches for the instruments and 12.9-inches for the infotainment. In an important move, there’s a return to some physical controls, for the temperature, heated seats and audio volume, marking a switch in ethos following customer complaints about touch-sensitive switches.
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It’s likely the gear selector will be a stalk on the steering column, which should be more intuitive than the ID.3’s rocker switch that sprouts from the instrument binnacle.
Keyword: Volkswagen ID.2all concept previews £20k electric supermini with SUV to follow