Volkswagen Introduces ID. EVERY1, Its Most Affordable EV

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Volkswagen AG became a global car giant thanks to the Beetle, an affordable model for the masses. Now, the German automaker is finally unveiling a budget car for the electric-vehicle age as it tries to catch up with Chinese brands and other rivals with cheaper options.

VW on March 5 presented the compact ID. EVERY1 concept car that will cost around €20,000 ($21,000) — its lowest-priced EV yet. The first VW-brand model to use electric architecture jointly developed with Rivian Automotive Inc., it’s due to start production in two years at an undecided location in Europe.

The model will offer more than 155 miles of range and is the “last piece of the puzzle” for VW’s next-generation lineup, said Thomas Schaefer, CEO of the brand.

European carmakers are struggling to convince consumers to make the switch to EVs given their higher sticker prices and lingering concern around charging infrastructure.

VW is seeking to regain ground on rivals with its own cheaper EV models after a year where sales slumped. Like other German manufacturers, VW initially focused its efforts on premium EVs to offset high development and battery costs. Tech enthusiasts and subsidies helped bolster a first wave of EV growth, but demand has stagnated on a dearth of affordable models, rising inflation and high electricity costs.

VW’s tumbling sales were accompanied by a painful restructuring hammered out with unions in 2024, making it “one of the most challenging years of Volkswagen’s history,” Schaefer said at an event in Düsseldorf, Germany. “After everything we’ve been through, this gives us back our