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Volkswagen I.D. Concept Revealed In Paris, Showcases VW's Electric Car For 2020

Volkswagen has revealed the I.D. Concept car at the Paris Motor Show, and the exhibit is a vehicle that the brand says will revolutionize the automotive industry just like the Beetle did when it was launched.
Volkswagen I.D. Concept 81 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf/Guido ten Brink
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Unfortunately for Volkswagen fans and potential customers from other brands, the concept car you see in the photo gallery is almost four years away from its market launch, because the brand wants to offer the production version on sale in 2020.

From there, Volkswagen plans to sell one million electric cars a year by 2025, which should be a huge sales offensive for the brand. The said action would be possible if many models will share the MEB platform.

The German manufacturer also stated that it will have a driving range of between 249 mile (400 km) and 373 miles (600 km) on a single charge. The value is not that impressive when you think that Opel’s Ampera-e promises “over 311 miles” (500 km) starting next spring, and the Renault Zoe is already capable of 249 miles of range.

The production version of the I.D. Concept from Volkswagen will be the first that will use the new MEB platform, which is an acronym for Modular Electric Drive Kit. From that model, Volkswagen will then create an entire range of electric vehicles, all with a shared platform and many parts in common.

Volkswagen fitted this EV with an electric motor that develops 168 HP, more than enough for day-to-day use on a car that has the size of a Golf hatchback.

The sprint from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) is made in less than eight seconds, while top speed is limited to 99 mph (160 km/h). Weight distribution is described as “optimal,” but is estimated at 48:52 front/rear.

The transmission has a single gear, and Volkswagen fitted the battery as low as possible to ensure the lowest possible center of gravity. The battery can be charged with a cable or through induction. The rapid charging system allows bringing the battery back to 80% capacity (from zero) in just half an hour.

This car is more than just figures and performance, as it is designed with a new idea for the interior, which Volkswagen calls “Open Space Concept,” a solution for modularity in the passenger compartment.

There is another reason why Volkswagen says this car is revolutionary - it is capable of fully automated driving. The carmaker says that it will offer fully autonomous driving models, including the production equivalent of this concept vehicle, by the year 2025.

Instead of eliminating controls altogether, VW has devised a way to make the steering wheel to retract into the dash. To activate the self-driving mode, a driver just has to press the VW badge on the wheel for three seconds.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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