VOLKSWAGEN ID. EVERY1

BEVs not selling as expected

Volkswagen Media Night was a large-scale media event held in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Since the launch of the ID.3 in 2019, VW has been strongly promoting the electrification of its lineup. In addition to the ID.3, the company now offers a wide range of BEV-only models, including the ID.4 compact SUV, the ID.5 coupe SUV (a model exclusive to the Chinese market), the ID.6 mid-size SUV (a model exclusive to the Chinese market), and the ID.7 upper-middle sedan/station wagon.

However, sales have fallen short of initial expectations. In the “NEW AUTO” management strategy announced in 2021, which covers the period up to 2030, Herbert Diess, CEO of the VW Group at the time, stated emphatically that “BEVs will account for 50% of new car sales by 2030.” However, with charging infrastructure still inadequate, BEVs, which are expensive and take a long time to charge, are not selling as expected.

Furthermore, with purchase subsidies in European countries such as Germany and France ending or being reduced from December 2023, sales of BEVs in the European market are expected to fall 5.9% year-on-year to 1,447,934 units. VW brand BEV sales also fell 2.7% year-on-year to 383,100 units. This accounts for just under 8% of the VW brand’s global sales of 4,796,900 units.

Mobility for everyone

Next-generation compact EV "Volkswagen ID. EVERY1"

That said, VW has not given up on BEVs. They are simultaneously developing ICE and PHEVs, and although they have shifted their focus from an all-in on BEVs, they believe that the shift to BEVs is inevitable. To that end, they will need models that are acceptable to everyone, rather than just early adopters (though that’s not necessarily the case).

That is the ID. EVERY1, which was unveiled as a study this time. VW went back to basics and asked, “How can we sell BEVs?” and resolved to once again create “mobility for everyone,” a core value of the VW brand, such as the Beetle and Golf.

This is how the ID. EVERY1 was born. The ID. EVERY1 is very compact, measuring 3,880mm in length, 1,816mm in width, and 1,490mm in height. It is an “electric urban car” that is larger than the “up!” (3,600mm in length), which was discontinued in Japan in spring 2021, but is one size smaller than the current “Polo” (4,074mm). With a wheelbase of 2,539mm, which is quite long compared to its overall length, the four-seater interior is spacious and has a luggage capacity of 305L.

The exterior of the four-door hatchback ID. EVERY1 stands out from the existing ID. family, designed by Klaus Bischoff, and gives off a rather conservative impression. However, its simple, powerful, and high-quality look is quite sporty and approachable, and is likely to be well-received by many people.

As a CDV instead of an SDV

This compact BEV, which uses VW’s new MEB (Modular Electric Platform), has an electric motor mounted in the front and produces a maximum output of 95 PS. The top speed is 130 km/h, at which point the speed limiter activates. The range is said to be more than 250 km in WLTP mode. The battery size has not been disclosed, but it will probably be around 25 kWh. If that is the case, even if you need to charge it on the go, it will only take a short time with DC fast charging.

Another thing to note is that the production version will be a “CDV (Customer Defined Vehicle)” rather than an SDV (Software Defined Vehicle). The car will be able to evolve throughout its lifecycle via OTA and be equipped with new features that reflect user feedback. To achieve this, VW plans to develop a next-generation, powerful software that will be installed starting with the production model of the ID. EVERY1.

The mass-produced version is scheduled for release in March 2027, with a surprising retail price of just 20,000 euros (approximately 3.2 million yen). With such a reasonable price, many people will be interested. A compact, low-cost city commuter would be perfect for the Japanese market! Unfortunately, this car is currently only planned for sale in the European market. We hope that the importer will do their best to introduce it to the Japanese market.