Volkswagen ID. EVERY1 is a €20,000 Surprise That VW Needs To Survive
Image Credit: Volkswagen AG.
Somebody at Volkswagen has finally got the memo explaining the meaning of the company name. Shockingly, VW decided it wants to electrify the masses. In a good way. And by masses, I mean those of us who don't have a spare wad of cash to drop on a luxury electric chariot. They've unveiled the ID. EVERY1, a concept car that promises to be the electric people's car, a sort of modern-day Beetle, but without the fossil fuels and questionable historical associations.
They're aiming for a starting price of around €20,000. Yes, around $21,000 on our shores. That's about the cost of a decent used sedan these days or a slightly less decent used SUV. And for that, you get a brand-new electric car. I'm intrigued but not entirely convinced. What's the catch? Well… it's actually a dusted-up and refreshed VW Up - in a way.
Image Credit: Volkswagen AG.
They say it's "smart, flexible, and affordable." Well, I've heard those words before, usually right before something breaks down or requires an instruction manual written in ancient Sumerian. But let's give them the benefit of the doubt. It's got a "sporty design" and a "versatile interior." Translation: it looks vaguely like a hatchback and has seats that fold down. Groundbreaking stuff, really.
The ID. EVERY1, they claim, will be the first to use a "fundamentally new, particularly powerful software architecture." Which, in layman's terms, means they've finally figured out how to make the computer bits work. Apparently, you'll be able to get "lifelong updates and upgrades." So, theoretically, your car won't become obsolete as quickly as your smartphone. Though, knowing VW's software adventures, it'll probably just mean more bugs and endless loading screens.
Image Credit: Volkswagen AG.
But credit where credit's due - the ID. EVERY1 looks good. It looks like a hatchback that everyone would want. This little electric gremlin will be about 12.7 feet long, which puts it somewhere between "cozy" and "can I parallel park this on a dime?" It'll have a 95-horsepower electric motor, which is about as much grunt as a moderately annoyed hamster. Top speed? A blistering 81 miles per hour. Range? A claimed 155 miles. Enough to get you to the grocery store and back, assuming you don't take the scenic route.
Inside, they've managed to cram in enough space for four adults and a trunk that can hold about 10.8 cubic feet of luggage. So, you can bring your weekly haul of discount toilet paper, but maybe leave the grand piano at home.
Image Credit: Volkswagen AG.
The design, they say, is "bold yet accessible." I'd go as far as calling it "inoffensive." They've added a "smiling" rear, which is supposed to give it "character." I'm not sure a smiling rear is a feature I've ever looked for in a car, but each to their own.
Volkswagen is on a mission, apparently. They're planning to launch nine new models by 2027, including this little electric wonder and the slightly pricier ID. 2all, which will set you back about $27,000. They're calling this new EV herd the "Electric Urban Car Family," which sounds like something out of a futuristic sitcom. And, get this, Volkswagen wants to become the "technologically leading high-volume manufacturer" by 2030. Ambitious, I'll give them that. But then, so was building the pyramids.
They're also boasting about a new modular electric drive platform, the MEB with front-wheel drive. Which, if you ask me, is just a fancy way of saying they've figured out how to put the motor in the front. But hey, progress is progress, even if it's baby steps.
Image Credit: Volkswagen AG.
So? What do you think? The Volkswagen ID. EVERY1 - an electric car for the masses. Apparently. Will it revolutionize the world? Probably not. Will it get you from A to B without burning fossil fuels? Hopefully. Will it make you smile? Well, it'll certainly make your wallet smile, and that's a win, isn't it? I just wish Volkswagen went more with a Lupo-like design. Maybe they will? Maybe that's the secret ID. 1 that they're working on right now? It is supposed to be even smaller and cheaper than this ID. EVERY1. Someone, please help them with names; this is getting messy.
I almost forgot… so, when is this cutie coming to a showroom near you? That’ll be 2027… They gotta be kidding! Two years of waiting? And that’s providing everything works out along the way. Knowing Volkswagen, it’ll be more like 2028, and by that time we might all speak Chinese for what I know. Two years in the EV industry is a dangerously long time and the ID. EVERY1 risks being completely irrelevant when it arrives. Oh boy, I hope VW honchos know what they’re doing.
