Innovative Electric Car from Volkswagen Threatens The ID.3 Model

Too Many Models? VW Struggles with Lineup Space.

Volkswagen’s compact electric vehicle may complete a full circle in the coming years. Following the replacement of the e-Golf with the ID.3, it appears that those at Wolfsburg are considering a reversal towards the end of the decade. A representative from the company has strongly suggested that the ID.3 could be phased out after its current model to make room for the revived electric Golf.

Volkswagen’s next-generation Golf, known as the ninth iteration, has been officially announced to be a fully electric vehicle and will be manufactured in Wolfsburg using the VW Group’s upcoming Scalable Systems Platform. In an interview with Top Gear magazine, Kai Grünitz, the head of technical development at Volkswagen, discussed what will become of the ID.3 model once the new Golf is released.

Despite the possibility of the ID.3 being discontinued, the arrival of the electric Golf will not necessarily mean its demise. Grünitz also shared that there will be a period of coexistence between the two vehicles, suggesting that Volkswagen will continue to offer both electric models for a certain period of time.

The Golf Mk8.5 has been introduced, signaling the end of an era for the compact hatchback in the internal combustion era. According to Grünitz, the facelift will be the last for the ICE model, which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024. Despite this, the successor in the form of an all-electric model will still bear the iconic Golf name. This decision was made because, as Grünitz stated, “it’s the heart of the brand,” with a staggering 37 million units produced since its inception in 1974. It is worth noting that the Golf holds the title of being the best-selling car in Europe to date.

In the electric era, the “Golf” name will not only continue to exist, but other important labels for VW will also remain. The company from Germany has confirmed that the “GTI” and “R” designations will endure even after the era of gasoline engines comes to a close. VW has announced that it will stop producing cars with combustion engines in Europe starting in 2033.

Volkswagen fans can rest easy knowing that the highly anticipated electric Golf is not the only hot hatch coming from the automaker. The ID.3 GTX, set to be unveiled later this year, will fulfill their promises of a combustion engine-free vehicle.No longer will we have to anticipate the re-emergence of the electric Golf in order to get our hands on a powerful hatchback from VW. The upcoming ID.3 GTX, slated for release sometime in the near future, will finally make its debut and prove that Volkswagen is sticking to their word.

It is expected that the upcoming generation of Golf will take over the ID.3, while the Polo supermini will eventually be succeeded by the ID.2. It is said that Volkswagen has plans to give the compact hatchback a GTI version in order to pay tribute to its predecessor which ran on gasoline. It should also be noted that the company is currently developing a smaller ID.1 model, and it is hoped that a GTI variant will be created to continue the legacy of the beloved up! GTI.

Source: Top Gear