VW's compact ID.Life could be an EV that's actually affordable
The just-revealed-at-Munich mini-SUV concept was joined by an autonomous VW bus unveiling
It’s electric, eclectic, and the epitome of recycling. Post-2025, if we are lucky, the Volkswagen ID.Life could be rolling out in North America.
The electric mini-SUV, unveiled as a concept at the 2021 Munich auto show, captures the cheeky side of VW design. Rice husks, wood chips, and real rubber will find their way into interior materials. The roof, partially made with recycled plastic bottles, can be removed for open-air motoring.
Powered by a 231-hp electric motor, the ID.Life has an estimated battery range of 400 km. If VW follows through with features revealed in the concept car, the ID.Life could be as practical as a Swiss Army knife.
Need a place to stay in a hurry? The front- and second-row seats can be reconfigured as a bed. Or reorganized to carry a bale of hay. The blocky, stubby design, while far from elegant, provides flexible space.
Set to go on sale in Europe by 2025, the entry-level ID.Life will be critical to VW’s plans to increase EV sales to 70 per cent by 2030 in Europe. Looking at the North American market, VW sees the ID.Life as an affordable alternative to most current EVs, priced at the luxury end of the industry.
In another announcement at the Munich auto show, VW unveiled an autonomous version of its long-awaited electric ID.Buzz. Rooted in the past, but packaged for the future, the self-driving minivan concept has the sweet, carefree profile of the old VW Microbus. But beyond the happy-go-lucky styling lies the complicated tech to equip the ID.Buzz for autonomous driving.
Cameras, radar sensors, and an onboard computer scan for obstacles up to 400 metres ahead. VW is aiming for a natural, human-like driving experience.
VW says a test fleet of self-driving Buzzes will launch in Munich in the next few months. If all goes well, it hopes to have the ID.Buzz working the streets in urban areas by 2025. With an initial focus as a ride-hailing vehicle, VW plans to have the first EV minivans launch in Hamburg, Germany.