by Volkswagen Reveals Details About the Upcoming Electric ID. Polo Model
Volkswagen has disclosed a series of details regarding the upcoming electric ID. Polo model, whose launch is scheduled for next year. This model is of great significance for the brand, as it will be the first of four compact electric vehicles that, according to VW, are set to reshape their small car market.
The car’s design, which has already been seen on camouflaged prototypes, has been named “Pure Positive” and promises to provide space worthy of “the next, higher class of vehicles.”
The dimensions of the new model are 4053 mm in length, 1816 mm in width, and 1530 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2600 mm. This roughly corresponds to the dimensions of a conventional Polo on the MQB platform; however, the cabin of the electric version is 19 mm longer, improving legroom for rear-seat passengers. Headroom and overall cabin width have also increased.
Practicality has received a noticeable improvement in the luggage compartment. The ID. Polo offers more luggage space than the ICE model. Its volume is 435 liters, but by folding the rear seats, it can be increased to 1243 liters.
Three Powertrain Options at Launch
At the debut of the ID. Polo next spring, the model lineup will include three variants of front electric motors. Their power will be 114 hp, 133 hp, and 208 hp. The more powerful ID. Polo GTI version with a 223 hp motor will appear on the market a year later.
The 114 hp and 133 hp modifications will receive a small lithium-iron-phosphate battery with a capacity of 37 kWh. These versions will also have the capability for DC fast charging at a power of only 90 kW.
The two top versions will receive a larger nickel-manganese-cobalt battery with a capacity of 52 kWh, which, according to the manufacturer, will provide a range of up to 450 kilometers.
Volkswagen also noted that the battery uses cell-to-pack technology, which “eliminates the intermediate step via module housings and combines the cells directly into the battery pack – reducing cost, installation space, and weight, while simultaneously increasing energy density by approximately 10 percent.”
It is also important that for these variants, the DC fast charging power will be increased to 130 kW.
New Platform and Technologies
The ID. Polo is built on the new MEB+ platform, described as a “further development” of the existing architecture. It features reduced complexity, higher efficiency, and lower weight.
Volkswagen also announced next-generation driver assistance systems, including a “significantly enhanced” version of Travel Assist. It provides “assisted control in longitudinal and lateral directions,” as well as automated lane changing on highways. The system also recognizes road signs and traffic lights.
Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schäfer stated: “The ID. Polo marks the beginning of a new Volkswagen generation: with fresh design, intuitive controls, high quality, and first-class driving characteristics – and finally, once again with the right name.”
He added that the company will launch six new electric vehicles next year, and the ID. Polo’s starting price of 25,000 euros will make “electric mobility accessible to many people in Europe.”
The planned launch of the ID. Polo is part of Volkswagen’s large-scale transformation towards electromobility. The model bearing the iconic Polo name is intended to become a bridge between the traditional mass market and a new era, combining a familiar name with modern technologies. The announced GTI version, which will continue the legendary line of sporty hatchbacks but now with electric propulsion, is of particular interest. The success of this model could be crucial for strengthening the brand’s position in the European affordable electric vehicle segment, where competition intensifies every year.
