Volkswagen is in deep, deep trouble. Tens of billions of dollars will soon be pouring out of the corporate coffers to cover the costs of the Dieselgate scandal. The hit to consumer confidence and ongoing sales of VW products is tremendous. Is there anything Volkswagen can do to restore the world’s trust in them as a responsible manufacturer of personal transportation? The new Volkswagen I.D., set for its World Premiere at the 2016 Paris Auto Show, could be a start in that direction.
The Volkswagen I.D. shows that VW is fearlessly going in a totally new direction. This is a necessity, of course, after the company has utterly and completely burned the Clean Diesel bridge behind it. The smoke and flames from that inferno will be visible for years to come. But don’t look at that, turn completely around and see the latest bright and shiny object we have for you over here…
The I.D. will be the first of an entirely new fleet of pure electric vehicles coming from Volkswagen. It will be launched in 2020. It is the first compact VW based on the Modular Electric Drive Kit. This is the platform that has been developed to be the basis of an entire family of electric vehicles.
As you can see, VW is adhering to “The Prius Principle” to make sure that this new compact car has a unique zero-emissions look and will not be mistaken for any other product, VW or otherwise. The 5-door hatch body features sliding rear doors. The front end lacks a discrete grill opening, which is unnecessary in a pure electric. Blue accents are liberally applied to denote that this is an alternatively powered car – blue is the new green!
Powered by its 168 hp electric motor, the Volkswagen I.D. is forecast to have a range of 249 to 373 miles on a single charge of its 125 kW battery. That is very good by 2016 standards, comparing positively to both the current Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model S. But how will these numbers look in four years? Will the I.D. be eclipsed by other electric vehicles available by then? Time will tell.
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Volkswagen has also pledged to bring fully automated driving to the I.D. from the year 2025 onwards. It calls this mode “I.D. Pilot.” The car’s steering wheel retracts into the dash during fully automated operation. VW has even promised that the I.D. will be able to receive parcels using a new delivery service. This will be done by using the car’s trunk as a mail box. Parcel delivery companies will use an app to gain one-time access to unlock the trunk and place the package inside. The owner will then be notified of the delivery by app or email.
Volkswagen plans to sell a million electric cars a year worldwide by 2025. That is a major league stretch goal for a company whose future survival very likely depends on reaching it. Volkswagen is entering a brave new world with the I.D. – not because it wants to, but because it has no other choice.
Ignore those polluting diesels behind the curtain!
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