There’s no denying the price tag associated with electric vehicles can put some motorists off taking the plunge and going green. While your petrol bills will obviously disappear, the initial outlay for an EV can seem astronomical.
Step forward Volkswagen.
VW has given the world a glimpse of what an 'affordable' battery-powered supermini will look like within three years – the ID.2all concept.
It’s all part of VW’s plan to release ten new electric car models between now and 2026.
The ID.2all will cost less than £22,000 (€25,000) and has been revealed as the car to replace – or be an electric alternative – to the Polo supermini.
The concept was unveiled in Germany last month, with VW claiming it will cost less than all existing rivals when it hits showrooms in 2026, complete with a 280-mile range and a top speed of 99mph.
If launched to market now, the ID.2all would go up against a number of rivals in the compact EV world, including the Vauxhall Corsa-e, Peugeot e-208 and Renault Zoe.
A Volkswagen spokesperson said: “With the ID.2all study in the compact car segment, Volkswagen now provides a hands-on preview of the first electric VW for everyone.
“Electric vehicles will then be available in almost every volume segment, and the Volkswagen brand will offer the broadest e-portfolio compared with the competition.”
How does the cost compare to other EVs?
A £22,000 price tag could still make this compact EV a stretch for many drivers' budgets – but it would dramatically undercut most EVs on the market today.
In fact, there’s only five fully-electric cars on the market today available for less than £30,000 – the Nissan Leaf, Fiat 500, MG4 EV, Mini Electric and Renault Zoe.
Described by VW as a “full-value electric vehicle for every day of the year,” the version of the ID.2all that’ll cost less than £22,000 would come with a 38kWh battery and a range of almost 300 miles.
Making an EV that’s affordable for ‘everyone’ is coming at a cost to VW however, with the manufacturer investing €460m to transform its Wolfsburg plant in preparation for production.
Could there be an even cheaper alternative?
While the production version of the ID.2 is scheduled for 2025, with assembly most likely taking place in Spain, there are whispers about an even more affordable and compact EV coming from the VW garages in the near future.
Volkswagen is rumoured to be developing an even smaller EV model, which is looking likely to replace the Up! city car. This could enter the market with a price starting from under €20,000, around £17,600.
Keep your ears to the ground…
