• Volkswagen’s successor to the e-up! will arrive in 2027 in the form of the ID. Every1.
• Previewed here as a concept, it will ride on the MEB platform with a front-wheel-drive configuration and get a fresh new design.
• The automaker said it’s “from Europe for Europe” and will be made in Wolfsburg.

Electric cars have felt out of reach for mainstream car buyers for years, thanks to the stubbornly high price tags. But in Europe, that’s changing fast.

A wave of affordable electric cars from Renault, Fiat and Hyundai is reshaping the market. And then there are the Chinese EVs, flooding in with aggressive pricing. Now, Volkswagen hopes to make its move with the ID. Every1, a small electric hatchback for the masses. This concept offers a glimpse of what to expect.

It will carry a starting price of €20,000, which is roughly $21,500 at today’s exchange rates. It will enter production in 2027 at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg plant, which the automaker described as the “capital of our new all-electric compact class.”

If you’re excited about getting one in North America, we have some bad news. VW states the ID. Every1 will be an EV “from Europe, for Europe.” That’s a shame because its inoffensive design and wallet-friendly price are exactly what’s been missing from the U.S. market. Although, that’s set to change this year with the new Chevy Bolt EV.

The ID. Every1 will be front-wheel drive, riding on the MEB platform. Volkswagen estimates a range of “at least” 250 kilometers (156 miles) on the WLTP cycle. The single e-motor will deliver 94 horsepower and a top speed of 130 kmph (80 mph). The automaker revealed only this concept on Wednesday, so those figures are subject to change.

Its dimensions are typical of a small hatchback riding on a dedicated electric platform, with short overhangs and a long wheelbase. It will measure 152.8 inches long, 58.7 inches tall and 71.7 inches wide, slotting right between the now-discontinued up! and the upcoming ID.2, which will be slightly longer and bigger overall.

Photo by: Volkswagen

At 305 liters (10.5 cubic feet), the rear cargo space isn’t great but should be adequate for daily items and a couple of carry-on suitcases. Volkswagen said the ID. Every1’s design incorporates certain geometric principles followed by Leonardo Da Vinci for his paintings like the Mona Lisa, like the proportion of the windows to the body surfaces and the angle of the rear window relative to the bumper.

We’ll see how the production version looks and feels, but the concept suggests that the ID. Every1 may not be a compromise when it comes to design and features. It debuts a new design language that’s fresh, but not too radical. Its surfaces appear smooth and it’s not too angular or bulbous.

The headlamps are united by a thick black horizontal surround which Volkswagen likens to a “cheeky smile.” The panel houses an illuminated VW logo and vertical fog lamps are mounted in the bumper. It gets flush door handles, 19-inch wheels and a rear windshield that blends into the illuminated brand logo and the taillamps.

Photo by: Volkswagen

It doesn’t look like a €20,000 EV on the inside, but admittedly, that’s easy to say for a concept. The steering is a squircle and it has actual physical buttons, not haptic ones which can unintentionally get pressed while turning the wheel. There’s a large horizontal central display and more physical buttons for climate under the screen.

It also appears to have floating headrests and plenty of cubby holes and storage spaces, including a movable center console, just like the one on the ID. Buzz. That should make the cabin practical and easy to use.

The automaker plans to launch nine new models by 2027, including the €25,000 ($27,000) ID.2all that will arrive in 2026, ahead of the ID. Every1. It’s unclear how many of these will make it to the U.S., but in Europe, it will lock horns with models like the Renault 5 E-Tech, Fiat Grande Panda Electric and Hyundai Inster.

Have a tip? Contact the author: [email protected]