New tech key to ‘affordable’ ID 2
Downloadable options will help keep the VW electric crossover’s price at £17,000
VW ID 2 will be the first car to use the MEB Entry platform
Volkswagen is poised to give a first glimpse in the near future at the vital £17,000 ID 2 crossover, which will spearhead a major Volkswagen Group assault on the entry-level EV market when it goes on sale in 2025.
The ID 2 will be the first model built on the new MEB Entry platform that is being developed to allow for ‘affordable’ small EVs, and will be followed by models from sister firms Seat, Skoda and possibly Audi. The Volkswagen Group had originally planned to launch the first MEB Entry model in 2023, but that has been put back by two years due to the challenges of producing cars that can be sold for a profit at the €20,000 (£17,000) target price. The delay will allow both for an increase in demand for EVs and developments in battery technology that should help the firm achieve its target.
The ID 2 will be a compact crossover roughly the same size as the ICE-powered T-Cross, although the flat-floored EV layout means it will offer more cabin space, closer to that of the larger T-Roc.