Photo: autoblog.nl
Almost two years ago, Volkswagen achieved the impossible: no, we're not talking about briefly taking the number one spot in the industry from Toyota, but managing to dwarf the Takata situation by creating its own scandal.
We all know what happened, and we all know how the German company decided to put things right with the public: by announcing that it would invest heavily in the development and production of battery-powered all-electric vehicles.
Of course, in the meantime, its diesel cars are still selling like the proverbial hotcakes in Europe, even though the rate of adoption seems to be down from previous years. But you can't blame Volkswagen for selling if the people are asking for them, can you?
Anyway, we're here to talk about electric vehicles, and up until today, there wasn't all that much to talk about. Volkswagen's activity in the EV market has been restricted to two converted models - the e-Golf and the e-Up! - and a few concepts that are supposed to preview the company's future models.
Similar to Mercedes-Benz's EQ range, Volkswagen too has created a separate sub-brand for its EVs called I.D. The first car to be part of the new lineup is the one launched last year in Paris. It can best be described as 'an electric Golf,' and Volkswagen must he hoping it will replicate the success of its gas-burning peer.
The second one is the mandatory SUV/crossover. Volkswagen's entry should be based on the Cross Concept, a compact-sized SUV that will share a lot with Audi's e-tron Sportback. Finally, Volkswagen CEO has recently reinforced the idea that the Wolfsburg brand will also build the I.D. Buzz Concept, the electric reinterpretation of the iconic microbus.
Now, thanks to autoblog.nl, a presentation slide of the I.D. range estimated timeline shows there are two more models considered between the Cross Concept and the Buzz Concept. Their names are Lounge and AEROe, and if the shapes covered by the white canvas are accurate, we might have an idea about what to expect.
The Lounge, as the name would suggest, is going to be the largest of the bunch - most likely an SUV that will be Volkswagen's version of the Audi e-tron quattro. The move would make sense, particularly since it appears there's also a hint on the markets where each of these models will be available, and the I.D. Lounge is headed to the U.S. and China - both countries that enjoy roomy vehicles.
The I.D. AEROe is tougher to read. Since the I.D. compact EV is only scheduled to be sold in Europe, it would make some sense if the AEROe were a slightly larger car, probably a wagon (as the silhouette suggests). On the other hand, wagons don't sell well even with combustion engines, so it would be a surprising decision. Plus, the name makes one dream of juicier things, something like a sportscar.
Whatever the case, it'll still be close to two years until we see the first new-gen electric Volkswagen - in the shape of the original I.D. Concept - with the rest scheduled to unfold over the following four years. Five models over four years isn't even close to Volkswagen's self-imposed target of 35 EVs by 2025, so we can expect to see more. Or, just as well, we can expect Volkswagen not to be true to its words. Stranger things have happened.
Of course, in the meantime, its diesel cars are still selling like the proverbial hotcakes in Europe, even though the rate of adoption seems to be down from previous years. But you can't blame Volkswagen for selling if the people are asking for them, can you?
Anyway, we're here to talk about electric vehicles, and up until today, there wasn't all that much to talk about. Volkswagen's activity in the EV market has been restricted to two converted models - the e-Golf and the e-Up! - and a few concepts that are supposed to preview the company's future models.
Similar to Mercedes-Benz's EQ range, Volkswagen too has created a separate sub-brand for its EVs called I.D. The first car to be part of the new lineup is the one launched last year in Paris. It can best be described as 'an electric Golf,' and Volkswagen must he hoping it will replicate the success of its gas-burning peer.
The second one is the mandatory SUV/crossover. Volkswagen's entry should be based on the Cross Concept, a compact-sized SUV that will share a lot with Audi's e-tron Sportback. Finally, Volkswagen CEO has recently reinforced the idea that the Wolfsburg brand will also build the I.D. Buzz Concept, the electric reinterpretation of the iconic microbus.
Now, thanks to autoblog.nl, a presentation slide of the I.D. range estimated timeline shows there are two more models considered between the Cross Concept and the Buzz Concept. Their names are Lounge and AEROe, and if the shapes covered by the white canvas are accurate, we might have an idea about what to expect.
The Lounge, as the name would suggest, is going to be the largest of the bunch - most likely an SUV that will be Volkswagen's version of the Audi e-tron quattro. The move would make sense, particularly since it appears there's also a hint on the markets where each of these models will be available, and the I.D. Lounge is headed to the U.S. and China - both countries that enjoy roomy vehicles.
The I.D. AEROe is tougher to read. Since the I.D. compact EV is only scheduled to be sold in Europe, it would make some sense if the AEROe were a slightly larger car, probably a wagon (as the silhouette suggests). On the other hand, wagons don't sell well even with combustion engines, so it would be a surprising decision. Plus, the name makes one dream of juicier things, something like a sportscar.
Whatever the case, it'll still be close to two years until we see the first new-gen electric Volkswagen - in the shape of the original I.D. Concept - with the rest scheduled to unfold over the following four years. Five models over four years isn't even close to Volkswagen's self-imposed target of 35 EVs by 2025, so we can expect to see more. Or, just as well, we can expect Volkswagen not to be true to its words. Stranger things have happened.
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