We knew Volkswagen's upcoming entry-level electric vehicle would be cheap – VW has repeated "€20,000" more times than we care to count. But we feared that would mean it would look every bit as cheap as its sticker price. It appears our fears were unfounded, though, as the all-new ID. Every1 Concept is a strong, handsome hatchback that far outshines its predecessor. This is a €20,000 electric hatchback we'd happily drive on the daily.
Volkswagen has a proud history of hatchbacks, with timeless nameplates like the Golf and Polo popping immediately to mind. What doesn't pop to mind, immediately or otherwise, is the up! (or just Up, if you're understandably not too excited about it). It was technically a hatchback, but the A-segment city car just looked a little too weak and droopy throughout its 11-year run to stand proudly beside its larger older siblings.
Volkswagen's new entry-level EV, likely to wear the badge ID.1, will technically be the successor to the Up, which was discontinued in 2023. Volkswagen presented its first preview of the car this week by way of the ID.Every1 concept. Assuming the production car sticks to the blueprint laid down by the concept, it'll be a proud, stout hatchback in a way the Up never quite managed.
The 153-in (388-cm) Every1 concept is a full 11 in (28 cm) longer than the Up but still comfortably smaller than the 159-in (405-cm) ID.2all concept and 160-in (407-cm) Polo. More importantly, it shows stronger proportions than the A-car that came before it – a level roofline, straight-cut hood and windscreens, and a wide-sweeping upright front fascia. Short overhangs and sculpted wheel arches further lend to its confident stance, and a digital lighting signature with eyelike headlamps and taillights adds some playful pop.
"Our ambition was to create something bold yet accessible," explains VW design chief Andreas Mindt. "The ID. Every1 has a self-assured appearance but remains likable, thanks to details such as the dynamic front lights and the 'smiling' rear. These design elements make it more than just a car – they give it character and an identity that people can relate to."
Another aspect people will relate to: that planned €20,000 price tag (approx. US$21,675), which will make it considerably cheaper than the electric Up was at launch. Well before VW's MEB architecture and ID family, the e-Up debuted as Volkswagen's first standard production electric car in 2013, launching for a base price of €26,900 ($29,150, as converted today). At the time, its 18.7-kWh battery offered a mere 93 miles (150 km) of range per charge, its motor putting out up to 81 hp.
In 2019, Volkswagen dropped the price down to €21,975 and simultaneously increased range to 162 miles (260 km) via a 36.8-kWh battery. It increased the price once again in 2022, up to €26,895, but the final price available to customers in Germany was nearly the same as in 2019 thanks to an increase in available government subsidies.
The ID. Every1 promises to bring pricing down lower than ever but doesn't exactly blow VW's original electric mini away in performance metrics, putting out just 94 hp from a newly developed electric drive. Estimated range drops slightly to "at least" 155 miles (250 km).
Inside, the four-seat ID. Every1 concept keeps things crisp and simple with a large center touchscreen serving as the focal point of the cockpit, augmented by a slim digital instrument panel. The emphasis on width carries over from outside, with slim, horizontal vents and controls atop a narrow, level dashboard. Volkswagen's ID.1 production plan calls for lifelong software updates to deliver available feature additions and performance improvements. The ID.1 will be the first in the VW Group family to feature the new digital architecture.
Volkswagen plans to introduce the production ID.1 in 2027 as what it hopes will prove itself to be a true "People's Car" for the modern world. The car will follow the 2026 launch of the €25,000 ID.2, which will be a part of the same Electric Urban Car Family underpinned by a front-wheel-drive iteration of VW's MEB architecture.
Neither model is currently planned for sale in the US.
"The ID. Every1 represents the last piece of the puzzle on our way to the widest model selection in the volume segment," Thomas Schäfer, CEO of VW Passenger Cars, said this week. "We will then offer every customer the right car with the right drive system – including affordable all-electric entry-level mobility. Our goal is to be the world’s technologically leading high-volume manufacturer by 2030."
Volkswagen will show the next preview of the Electric Urban Car family later this year.
Source: Volkswagen
