{"id":16548,"date":"2023-03-22T10:04:03","date_gmt":"2023-03-22T02:04:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/battery9999.com\/en\/?p=16548"},"modified":"2023-03-22T10:04:03","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T02:04:03","slug":"vw-beats-tesla-to-the-punch-and-unveils-an-affordable-electric-vehicle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/battery9999.com\/en\/vw-beats-tesla-to-the-punch-and-unveils-an-affordable-electric-vehicle\/","title":{"rendered":"VW beats Tesla to the punch and unveils an affordable electric vehicle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mar 17, 2023<\/p>\n

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Image: VW<\/p>\n

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Volkswagen\u00a0unveiled<\/a>\u00a0its affordable, mass-market electric vehicle in the form of a concept called the ID. 2all. With a starting price of 25,000 euros ($26,600) and an estimated range of 450 kilometers (279 miles), the Golf-looking electric hatchback is intended to be that most elusive thing: a plug-in vehicle for the people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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VW revealed the ID. 2all during an investor event in Germany \u2014 calling to mind Tesla\u2019s own investor day event, in which\u00a0Elon Musk was expected to show off his own affordable EV but didn\u2019t<\/a>. Tesla\u2019s share price dropped after the event as investors griped about the absence of the promised EV. And less than two weeks later, VW has responded with its own spin on what an EV for the mass might look like.<\/p>\n

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During the presentation, VW outlined a strategy that includes an investment of 180 billion euros ($193 billion) over five years in areas including battery production and raw materials, as it seeks to slash the cost of EV production and overtake Tesla and others by increasing its market share.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But the ID. 2all was the centerpiece of the event, a compact EV with an attractive price and a lot of potential. Though just a concept, VW said it expects to put the vehicle into production starting in 2025. It will be one of 10 plug-in models set to debut by 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The production version of the ID. 2all will be built atop the second-generation version of VW\u2019s modular \u201cMEB\u201d electric vehicle platform. The current version of MEB powers the\u00a0automaker\u2019s ID.4 crossover SUV<\/a>, as well as a dozen other vehicles from Audi, Skoda, and others from brands owned by VW Group. The long wheelbase and short overhangs of the ID. 2all are also found on the ID. Buzz, the automaker\u2019s electric minibus that is expected to go on sale in the US in 2024.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The affordable EV will also be VW\u2019s first plug-in vehicle with front-wheel drive; all others to date have been single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive. The powertrain will also enable quicker charging, with VW predicting a 10 to 80 percent charging speed of approximately 20 minutes. The ID. 2all will be light on storage space, with 460-1,330 liters of volume, depending on the seat configurations.<\/p>\n

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As a hatchback, the ID. 2all will be fighting an uphill battle, both in the US and Europe. The era of the \u201chot hatch\u201d has come and gone, with most automakers shifting focus to crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. To be sure, VW has its\u00a0Scout brand<\/a>\u00a0set to introduce a new lineup of adventure-themed electric trucks and SUVs. But a plug-in hatchback, even one as affordable as the ID. 2all, will be pushing against the current when it eventually goes on sale.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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VW says the ID. 2all represents an entirely new design language, with an emphasis on \u201clikeability and enthusiasm,\u201d which will inform its future electric lineup. And while the exterior of the ID. 2all does look similar to the discontinued (for the US) VW Golf, the interior is fairly distinct from the company\u2019s current crop of EVs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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VW says it wants the interior to be \u201cself-explanatory,\u201d and photos confirm this, with floating displays for both the instrument cluster and the central infotainment. A knob on the center console could help address criticisms about the lack of physical controls in the ID.4.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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