Volkswagen has taken aim at Chinese cut-price electric cars, unveiling a new generation of affordable EVs.
At the Volkswagen Group reveal ahead of the 2025 Munich Motor Show the German giant didn’t unveil one new affordable EV, it showed off a quartet- two from Volkswagen and one each from Skoda and Cupra. All four will be built in Spain, in the same factory to save costs, and each will be priced from €25,000 (approx. $45,000).
These new models – the brand-new Volkswagen ID.Cross, near-production Volkswagen ID.Polo, Skoda Epiq and Cupra Raval – are all close-to-production and should be on sale in Europe by 2026. Details on when they’ll make it to Australia, and crucially how much they’ll cost, hasn’t been confirmed at this stage.
This is a clear bid from Europe’s largest car maker to hit back against cheaper opposition from Chinese brands including MG, Chery and BYD.
All four are part of the so-called Electric Urban Car Family (EUCF) and based on the same underpinnings, ‘MEB+’, a front-wheel drive EV platform that can make more than 150kW of power and provide up to 450km of range.
While this won’t set any performance or distance records for an EV, Volkswagen CEO, Thomas Schäfer, made it clear that priority for these new models is something different. He wants them to be more affordable than any EVs the brand has previously offered and open up electric cars to a new generation of customers.
“From the very beginning, my goal was to shape the best version of the Volkswagen brand of all time,” Schäfer said. “The near-production concept car of the future ID.Cross demonstrates that we are now truly delivering – with a new design, many technologies only seen in higher classes previously, improved operability and quality – and, at last, again the ‘right’ name. With this new Volkswagen generation, we are now delivering on our promises.”
It was a sentiment shared by Skoda CEO, Klaus Zellmer, who believes the new Epiq will lure new EV buyers to the brand who previously couldn’t afford such a car.
“The Epiq show car offers a concrete glimpse into the next addition to Škoda’s successful all-electric family. It embodies the essence of Škoda: modern solid design, a spacious interior within a compact footprint, user-friendly, intuitive digital interfaces, and Simply Clever details that ensure a seamless experience – and above all – at an attractive price point. With the Epiq, we’re taking another step towards making electric cars a practical and compelling choice for everyday drivers.”
The Cupra Raval will elevate the performance stakes, befitting the brand, and the Spanish arm of the VW Group has said the production car will have a 166kW motor, lower suspension, an electronic limited slip differential and 19-inch alloys.
But, despite all the performance, the focus of the Raval remains affordability.
“For us, the Cupra Raval is more than a car,” said Markus Haupt, Interim CEO of Cupra. “What truly makes it special is the project behind it – the Electric Urban Car Family – which we are proud to be leading from Spain. We are strengthening synergies within the Brand Group Core and turning the country into a hub for electric mobility, making these cars accessible to millions.”
Would an affordable Volkswagen, Skoda or Cupra change your mind on electric cars?
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