Small, but not very small. Volkswagen’s B-segment electric, which will also be the basis for the sister models of Seat and Skoda (Small variant of the MEB platform) was unveiled at the first Bavarian edition of the IAA. The most important car show in Germany has been moved to Munich after leaving Frankfurt (last edition in 2019). As a concept it is called ID. Life, but the standard declination would be equivalent to ID.2. Because the most compact zero-emission model, probably under four meters and entry level of the ID. Range, should be the one whose development was assigned to the Spanish group and which could take the place of the up !. With the Accelerate plan, the group has once again redefined its plans and the launch of an urban car could be subject to market dynamics.
The ID. Life measures 409 centimeters in length and was announced for 2025, which is when economies of scale and the greater diffusion of the charging infrastructure and electric vehicles will make even this type of model economically sustainable. The manufacturer explained that the debut is expected two years earlier than originally planned. The goal announced by Volkswagen is to be able to offer the car at a price of around 20,000 euros. It remains to be seen if the future entry level to the electric range will remain this or, in fact, a smaller urban car will arrive.
Under the hood of the front-wheel drive prototype (the engine of the ID.3 pushes on the rear axle instead) the German house has mounted a unit of even 234 Hp which guarantees a starting point from 0 to 100 of 6.9 seconds. The battery of the concept is 57 kWh capable of ensuring a range of 400 kilometers in the Wltp cycle. However, it seems rather unlikely that the standard version will arrive on the market with these performances, which are partly better than the ID.3, which is larger. It is probable that, given the size and the almost certain urban use, the accumulator could be even less capable and the engine decidedly less powerful.
“The ID. Life – explains Thomas Ulbrich, Head of Brand Development – demonstrates once more the extraordinary flexibility of the MEB: it is a platform on which it is possible to build from the compact to the Van ”. “We are now starting to exploit its full potential,” adds the manager.
