By ROB HULL
Updated: 07:08 EST, 6 March 2025
74
View
comments
Volkswagen has teased the look of what's soon to become its smallest and cheapest electric car - and it's due to arrive within two years and with a very affordable asking price.
The ID.Every1 concept has just been unveiled as the preview to the forthcoming ID.1 - the German giant's electrified spiritual successor to compact cars from its past, like the Up, Fox and Lupo.
It is set to launch in 2027 in the hope it will stimulate demand for its EVs as the car giant struggles in the current market.
Volkswagen is currently in the process of dramatically slashing production at its dedicated electric car-only factory in Germany in the wake of declining sales, and the threat of plant closures and job losses still looms.
It means much hinges on the auto firm's new models arriving before the end of the decade.
Bosses have promised nine new EVs to transform its line-up, with the ID.1 seen as the 'last piece of the puzzle'.
And it will be the least expensive piece too, with the car maker stating it will come with a starting price of 'around €20,000', which translates to £16,750. If it arrived now, it would be Britain's third cheapest EV.
VW has likened its impact on the market to the iconic Beetle, saying it will 'enable affordable mobility for millions of people with compact and likeable cars'.
Volkswagen's new affordable electric car arriving in 2027: This is the ID.Every1 concept - a preview of what the forthcoming ID.1 - VW's smallest next-generation EV - will look like...
VW bosses say the production-ready version will arrive with a starting price of 'around €20k', which translates to £16,750. If it launched now, it would be Britain's third cheapest EV
The ID.Every1 concept, revealed in Dusseldorf on Wednesday evening, can be considered an early look at how the production version will appear.
Bosses say the design is very close to the real deal, with customers likely to see something slightly toned down with smaller wheels, proper door handles and revised light clusters front and back.
It will also see VW's long-awaited return to the smallest 'A' segment following a three-year hiatus after it culled the Up city car at the end of 2023.
By the time it arrives, it will sit below the Polo-sized ID.2 in Volkswagen's vehicle line-up, with the bigger electrified supermini expected for release in 2026 - and likely unveiled this year.
While the brand will also update its existing ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5, launch a GTI hot-hatch variant of the ID.2 and add three more models to its electric family of cars, the ID.1 is arguably its biggest challenge of all.
ID.1 will mark VW's long-awaited return to the smallest 'A' segment following a three-year hiatus after it culled the Up city car at the end of 2023
Bosses have promised nine new EVs to transform its line-up, with the ID.1 seen as the 'last piece of the puzzle' as it looks to overhaul its struggling electric car model range
The concept, fitted with a 94bhp electric motor and riding on large 19-inch wheels, has a top speed of just 130kmh, which is a just shy of 81mph. The range is 155 miles - but that could increase for the production model arriving in 2027
At just 3,880mm long in concept form, the ID.1 is set to be just 280mm longer than the diminutive Up that it will effectively replace.
Volkswagen will need to fit a suitably sized battery into the platform that offers adequate range for customers but is also cost efficient to ensure it can meet its €20,000 promise.
The concept, fitted with a 94bhp electric motor and riding on large 19-inch wheels, has a top speed of just 130kmh, which is a just shy of 81mph.
The most important figure of all is the range, which is claimed to be 155 miles.
While this is short of what's offered from the cheapest EV in Britain, the £15,995 Dacia Spring with 140 miles, it's unclear if these figures will be accurate for the production ID.1, which ultimately will have smaller wheels and the latest drivetrain tech when it emerges in 2027.
The Citroen e-C3, which costs from £21,990 today, has a 199-mile range between battery charges, for further reference.
Volkswagen also hasn't released details about the size of the battery in the ID.Every1, though we expect the showroom version to be between 35 and 40kWh.
Its previous electric e-Up, available from 2011 to 2023, had a 36.8kWh battery providing a claimed range of 161 miles.
Commenting at the unveiling of the concept car, Thomas Schäfer, VW's CEO, said: 'The ID. Every1 represents the last piece of the puzzle on our way to the widest model selection in the volume segment.
'We will then offer every customer the right car with the right drive system – including affordable all-electric entry-level mobility.'
The upturned corners of the bumpers, both front and back, are purposely shaped to look like a smile. When combined with the light clusters - especially the pupil-like headlights - are meant to resemble a friendly, happy face
The ID.Every1 concept, revealed in Dusseldorf on Wednesday evening, can be considered an early look at how the production version will appear
VW bosses say the design is very close to the real deal, with customers likely to see something slightly toned down with smaller wheels, proper door handles and revised light clusters
The car's boxy and chunky design is very much in-line with the Up and Lupo and is intended to keep the vehicle looking timeless.
Like these small models from its past, the front of the car will be simple, with a chunky black grille flanked by single headlamps.
The upturned corners of the bumpers, both front and back, are purposely shaped to look like a smile and when combined with the light clusters - especially the pupil-like headlights - are meant to resemble a happy face.
The VW logos front and back are also LED illuminated, with the rear emblem cleverly doubling as a third brake light.
The simple and 'friendly' face of the ID.Every1 draws similarities to the car it succeeds, the Up. The e-Up (pictured) was a the fully-electric version of VW's last compact city model
Design bosses said the VW Lupe - available from the late nineties into the early noughties - also inspired the design language of its new compact EV
Thomas Schaefer (right), CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars with Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen AG and Porsche AG, says VW's goal is to be the 'world’s technologically leading high-volume manufacturer' by 2030
'The ID. Every1 has a self-assured appearance but remains likeable – thanks to details such as the dynamic front lights and the ‘smiling’ rear,' says head of design, Andreas Mindt
Volkswagen also hasn't released details about the size of the battery in the ID.Every1, though we expect the showroom version to be between 35 and 40kWh
Volkswagen's head of design, Andreas Mindt, said: 'Our ambition was to create something bold yet accessible.
'The ID. Every1 has a self-assured appearance but remains likeable – thanks to details such as the dynamic front lights and the ‘smiling’ rear.
'These design elements make it more than just a car: they give it character and an identity that people can relate to.'
Inside, the cabin is simple but cleverly uses contrasting materials and colours to make it feel less sparse.
The dashboard combines a letterbox-style narrow digital instrument cluster that's then broken up by a large, landscape-mounted infotainment screen that looks like the latest, thinnest tablet from that famous American tech company.
VW has cleverly used contrasting materials to make the simple interior feel more appealing
The large iPad-like screen is mounted above a small selection of buttons, which control the temperature settings, audio volume and heated seats
Volkswagen says the ID.1's concept will easily seat four people in comfort, with plenty of head room all round thanks to the boxy proportions
The boot capacity - seen here with the rear bench backrests folded down - is 305 litres. That's 50 litres more than the Up provided
Volkswagen is also promising the ID.1 will arrive with an all-new software-driven electronic architecture that leans heavily on over-the-air updates.
The aim is to keep the tech available in its new models up to date against other rivals.
The large iPad-like screen is mounted above a small selection of buttons, which control the temperature settings, audio volume and heated seats. These will be much welcomed by anyone who has struggled with changing settings in fiddly infotainment systems in some current cars.
Carrying the design language from exterior to interior is a pair of air vents at each corner of the dash, which replicate the headlight design.
The drive controls are all mounted on the steering wheel, leaving the lower section of the dash free for a small box-like cubby bin.
Above this is a centrally-mounted glovebox, while the vacant compartment in the area in front of the passenger seat is now an open storage bins with straps.
VW says its compact dimensions will still be suitable to space up to four occupants inside, while the boot capacity of the concept is 305 litres - that's 50 litres more than the Up provided.
With a starting price of around £17,000, VW is going to be hard-pressed to make the ID.1 a profitable model
With the promised low price, there will be questions raised about profit margins available with ID.1 without a significant drop in battery costs
Gartner, a US market research firm, last year published a report predicted that the price of a new EV will drop to the same level as an equivalent new petrol or diesel model by 2027 - when the ID.1 is due to hit the market
Speaking at the concept's debut in on Wednesday evening, Schaefer told the audience: 'Our goal is to be the world’s technologically leading high-volume manufacturer by 2030.
'And as a brand for everyone – just as you would expect from Volkswagen.'
However, with a starting price of around £17,000, VW is going to be hard-pressed to make the ID.1 a profitable model.
While car makers have been widely criticised for not providing customers with smaller, cheaper EVs, manufacturers have rightfully argued that the high cost of battery tech means it is almost impossible to make money from an affordable compact electric vehicle.
With the promised low price, there will be questions raised about profit margins available with ID.1 without a significant drop in battery costs.
Gartner, a US market research firm, last year published a report predicted that the price of a new electric car will drop to the same level as an equivalent new petrol or diesel model 'much faster than initially expected,' saying drivers will see price parity by 2027.
It claimed that new manufacturing methods will reduce production costs below those for a comparable car with an internal combustion engine within the next three years.
Build costs will drop considerably faster than the cost of batteries, which are the most expensive part of an EV and account for around 40 per cent of the vehicle's price, the March 2024 report said.
Volkswagen, like all other EV makers, will be hoping this is the case.
VW's dedicated electric car factory in Zwickau is currently in the midst of a huge cost-cutting exercise.
Vehicle outputs at the plant are set to be slashed as part of a recent agreement between Europe’s largest car maker and its works council and union IG Metall.
The deal, made in December, eliminated the threat of factory closures and job cuts until 2030 with the compromise that production capacity will be halved.
Arno Antlitz, chief financial officer of VW Group, told employees in January that in the future 'we will only invest in competitive plants. Germany cannot be an exception.'
At the end of February, VW Group closed Audi's EV factory in Brussels where it made larger electric SUV vehicles.
Earlier this month it was announced that around 6,000 people could lose their jobs at Skoda, which is also set to make drastic cuts to keep up with an expensive EV rollout.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
Share what you think
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.
Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.
Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual
We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.
You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group
Facebook Conversations