Volkswagen ID. Polo Revives Legacy Model in Electric Form
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Volkswagen AG is harnessing the legacy of one of its best-selling cars, with a compact electric hatchback meant to defend Europe’s mass market against a wave of Chinese rivals.
The manufacturer on Sept. 3 unveiled a camouflaged version of the , which is expected to be priced below €25,000 ($29,125) when it goes on sale next year. Named after one of its most successful models, the vehicle is part of VW’s efforts to create an electric “people’s car” to compete with low-cost offerings from the likes of BYD Co. and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co.
The ID. Polo will aim to “make electric driving affordable for more people than ever before,” VW said in a statement, adding that it will begin using well-known model names for EVs that previously carried numerical ID badges. The company will show off the new car at the Munich auto show next week.
The launch comes at a difficult moment for Volkswagen. The company is grappling with mounting trade hurdles, a stagnant European market and waning sales in China. Meanwhile, Chinese brands are expanding in Europe with competitively priced models like BYD’shatchback, which starts at around €23,000 in Germany.
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There have been bright spots. The Volkswagen group’s EV sales jumped 73% in Europe in the second quarter, driven by robust demand for models including the VW ID.5, Audi Q4 e-tron and Skoda Enyaq. The VW brand has benefited from improved software and buyers increasingly shunning Tesla Inc. over Elon Musk.
By electrifying the Polo, Europe’s biggest automaker is signaling its intent to carry its combustion-engine clout into the battery era.
The Polo is one of VW’s most successful small cars, having sold more than 20 million units since it was introduced in 1975. Positioned as an entry point into the brand, it helped VW compete against similarly sized models such as Ford Motor Co.’s Fiesta and Renault SA’s Clio.
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