Volkswagen announces future plans and previews entry-level EV

Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer outlined the company’s future strategy during a works meeting in Wolfsburg, highlighting the brand’s commitment to electric mobility and innovation. As part of these plans, employees were given an early look at Volkswagen’s upcoming entry-level electric model, expected to have a base price of approximately €20,000. The company intends to present a show car version of this model in early March, with a production launch scheduled for 2027.

Schäfer emphasized the importance of making electric vehicles more accessible and reaffirmed Wolfsburg’s role as a key center for innovation and production. He stated that the main plant would adopt new manufacturing standards to support Volkswagen’s transition into the electric age.

The new entry-level model will be part of Volkswagen’s expanding small electric vehicle lineup, which also includes the production version of the ID. 2all. The ID. 2all is planned for release in 2026 and will have a starting price of under €25,000. Both models will be developed under the Brand Group Core, utilizing the latest evolution of Volkswagen’s modular electric drive (MEB) platform.

Volkswagen has already established a presence in the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market. Since the introduction of the ID. family in 2019, the company has sold over 1.35 million ID. vehicles globally, with 500,000 of those being ID.3 models. In 2023 alone, Volkswagen delivered 383,100 all-electric vehicles.

Schäfer also provided an update on the Wolfsburg production facility, confirming that it will continue to play a central role in the brand’s electric vehicle strategy. To accommodate this shift, Golf production will be relocated to Mexico, making room for modernized manufacturing technologies. The next-generation electric Golf and the high-volume electric T-Roc will be produced in Wolfsburg using Volkswagen’s new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP). This platform will serve as a foundation for future electric models, incorporating a standardized digitalized mechatronics system.

Daniela Cavallo, Chairwoman of the General and Group Works Council, emphasized that Wolfsburg remains crucial to Volkswagen’s development and production plans. The SSP platform will be utilized across multiple brands, ensuring Volkswagen maintains a competitive position in the evolving automotive market. Cavallo also noted that the Golf and T-Roc models produced in Wolfsburg represent a combined annual volume exceeding 500,000 units. A long-term collaboration between the Works Council and company leadership will focus on maintaining production efficiency and adapting to the demands of electric vehicle manufacturing.