Volkswagen has unveiled its first affordable electric car, which should be the main competitor for popular Tesla models. The electric car was named ID.2all, the declared cost is below 25 thousand euros, the car is planned to be launched into large-scale production in 2025. The prototype for the car was one of the most successful models of the German concern - Polo.
The range of the ID.2all is rated at 450 kilometers - not the highest figure for modern electric cars. The company relies on software, multimedia and entertainment systems. The design of the new electric car was borrowed from the most popular and well-known Volkswagen models - Polo, Golf, Beetle.
“ID.2all demonstrates where we want to take our brand. We want to provide our customers with a product that combines fantastic design and the highest technology. We are transforming at a rapid pace to bring electric vehicles to the masses,” said VW Brand Director Thomas Schäfer in his speech.
Bloomberg notes that Volkswagen needs a new successful model that would help the group regain its former leadership in the market. With the whole market recognizing the electrification trend in the coming years, the concern needs some kind of model of the legendary Golf to push Tesla in Europe or BYD in China. In addition to investing in new models, the company is actively increasing spending in related areas: automotive software and battery manufacturing.
In March, the company announced the establishment of its first overseas battery manufacturing plant in Canada. Later, the company presented a program for the development of software, and also announced that it intends to increase investments in the next 5 years by 13%, or 180 billion euros.
The agency notes that the creation of a budget and mass-produced electric car has long been an impossible task for manufacturers due to too high prices for metals necessary for the production of electric cars. So far, the leaders in this segment have become Chinese automakers, whose cars, however, have an even smaller power reserve and have not yet interested European consumers.