Volkswagen Scraps Compact ID.2 EV In Favor of New Electric Golf: Report
This is despite “ID” standing for “intelligent design,” of course.
Volkswagen's "ID" electric subbrand isn't exactly coming on strong in the U.S. The cars' nondescript alphanumeric names and underwhelming styling have translated into vehicles that consumers aren't thrilled about for now. VW is coming to understand this. What was going to be its cheapest EV, the ID.2, has reportedly been scrapped in favor of an all-electric Golf. The underlying platform is allegedly unchanged, but almost everything else is being shaken up.
The changes are happening because the reaction to the ID.2's styling was reportedly "less than lukewarm" inside the halls of VW. If it was anything like its larger ID-branded siblings, that's unsurprising. Volkswagen has already sold a Golf EV in the U.S. called the e-Golf, but that was a regular gas-powered golf converted into an EV as opposed to a ground-up new vehicle.
The news comes from alleged insider information obtained by Autocar. According to the British publication, the new car will ride on VW's MEB-Plus platform, cost around $24,000, and feature interior and exterior styling much more like the existing Golf, one of the few VWs to see lasting success in North America. That being said, it's still unclear if the car will be sold here.
Other details include a curb weight of around 3,600 pounds, the possibility of both front and all-wheel-drive, and sprints to 60 mph in the seven-second range.
These alleged changes by Volkswagen follow the lead of another German automaker, Mercedes-Benz. The Stuttgart company is reportedly scrapping its "EQ" brand because of a similar reaction from consumers. The cars have nondescript names, nondescript looks, and their reception has been, well, not much to write home about.
When many electric cars are already so similar on account of their homogeneous underpinnings and layouts, capitulating to the blob seems like less and less of a good idea.
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