After a cryptic trademark filing and a few days of teasing, Volkswagen revealed its latest concept today. The unusually named ID.EVERY1 is the automaker’s vision of a future urban EV, with nimble proportions and around 155 miles of range to go along with its chipper, sunny design. And best of all, the production version of the ID.EVERY1 will have a starting price of “about 20,000 euros,” or just over $21,000 at current exchange rates. Billed as an EV by Europe and for Europe, the ID.EVERY1 seems likely to be a sub-Golf replacement for the Up! city car, though it could also fill in as an electrified Polo equivalent too.
Volkswagen
- Founded
-
28 May 1937
- Founder
-
German Labour Front
- Headquarters
-
Wolfsburg, Germany
- Owned By
-
Volkswagen Group
- Current CEO
-
Thomas Schaefer
The People’s Car Has Gone Electric
Let’s not forget that in German, “volkswagen” literally translates to “people’s car,” and it seems the ID.EVERY1’s mission is to democratize electric vehicles. VW does so by leveraging the company’s MEB vehicle architecture used in all of the company’s EVs. However, for the ID.EVERY1, the modular platform uses front-wheel drive, which likely has packaging advantages for the compact hatchback. It is a rather small vehicle, and its overall length of 152.8 inches puts it right between the late, lamented Up! minicar and the current Polo hatch.
Of note, however, in the runup to the ID.EVERY1’s debut, Volkswagen had been reminding people of the Polo’s roots on social media, so it’s possible this concept will serve as a spiritual successor to the VW subcompact, much in the same way that the front-drive ID.2all concept apes the Golf. Speaking of, here’s hoping Volkswagen decides to make a sporty version of the EVERY1, as it did with the 2all-based ID. Concept GTI. Such a vehicle would be a worthy followup to the Up! GTI, which was the envy of every hot-hatch–loving American.
Related
VW Is Going Back To Its Roots In 2026
Volkswagen is promising “huge improvements” with new models, including to the styling.
Reasonable, If Not Exciting, Performance
The headline for the ID.EVERY1 is most definitely its price, because the performance stats aren’t terribly impressive on the whole. The front drive unit puts out a tepid 94 horsepower, and although the instant electric torque will likely feel perfectly snappy around town, we doubt the compact EV will be very confidence-inspiring on the Autobahn thanks to an 85-mile-per-hour top speed. Driving at Vmax will also probably tank the range, which Volkswagen estimates to be “at least 155 miles,” a number that’s fine for a commuter but less than ideal for day trips or weekend getaways.
The Volkswagen ID.EVERY1 concept is also pretty small. The automaker says it has “ample space for four passengers,” but a 10.1-cubic-foot cargo area means each of them will have to pack light – another notch against it for a road trip. The sum total of those characteristics mean the ID.EVERY1’s production followup will indeed be an ideal vehicle for tight European confines, less so for wide-open American spaces. That said, it compares pretty favorably on the spec sheet to the Fiat 500e – which costs at least 50 percent more – so maybe Volkswagen could make a run at the US market with its cheap and cheerful EV.
Related
Delightful Renault Twingo Reborn As All-Electric City Car With $21,000 Price Tag
It’s expected to arrive in 2026.
The Happiest Face On The Road
And cheerful it is. The Volkswagen ID.EVERY1 is possibly the most charming modern small car design out there, save perhaps the Renault 5 E-Tech and Twingo EV concepts. It suffers from a small case of angry eyes, but the contour of the front bumper and the fang-like corner marker lights give it an impish, mischievous grin. And its broad, wheels-at-the-corners stance makes it look stable and secure, and we think it’d be a blast in the urban stoplight grand prix.
Inside, Volkswagen makes the most of the compact car’s footprint (and flexible EV platform) by carving out a center-mounted glovebox, open cubby storage in front of the passenger, and sliding armrest binnacle between the front seats. The exterior’s sunny paint scheme shows up on the white seats with orange accents, plus an orange speckle finish for the black dashboard and door panels. The stubby hood and front drive unit likely preclude the existence of a frunk, so hopefully the rear seats fold for more cargo space when needed.
