Because Everyone Deserves an EV That Won’t Drain Their Life Savings
Let’s face it electric vehicles often cost as much as a small apartment, however, Volkswagen is taking us back to its roots. Remember the Beetle? That adorable little car that put millions of ordinary folks behind the wheel? Well, dust off your people’s car history books because Volkswagen is attempting to recreate that magic—only this time with batteries included.
From Beetles to Batteries: The Affordable EV Revolution
This week, Volkswagen unveiled its ID. EVERY1 show car—a concept that previews an upcoming electric vehicle with a price tag that won’t require selling vital organs. Priced at roughly 20,000 euros when it launches in 2027, the ID. EVERY1 represents Volkswagen’s ambitious push to create “affordable all-electric entry-level mobility.”
Let’s be honest: this is the electric car announcement many of us have been waiting for. While Tesla owners polish their status symbols and Rivian drivers forge rivers to prove they could (but never will), Volkswagen is quietly designing something revolutionary: an EV the average person might actually be able to afford.
Thomas Schäfer, who apparently didn’t get the memo about automotive executives speaking exclusively in corporate jargon, put it rather plainly: “The ID. EVERY1 represents the last piece of the puzzle on our way to the widest model selection in the volume segment. We will then offer every customer the right car with the right drive system – including affordable all-electric entry-level mobility.”
Small Package, Big Personality
At just 3,880 mm in length, the ID. EVERY1 sits between the retired up! (3,600 mm) and the current Polo (4,074 mm). Despite its compact dimensions, it offers seating for four people and a not-too-shabby 305-litre luggage compartment. It’s like the automotive equivalent of that friend who’s small in stature but somehow always makes room for everyone at dinner.
Andreas Mindt, Volkswagen’s Head of Design, describes the ID. EVERY1 as having “a self-assured appearance but remains likeable—thanks to details such as the dynamic front lights and the ‘smiling’ rear.” Yes, you read that correctly—this car has a “smiling rear.” Finally, an EV with a personality that doesn’t scream “I’m compensating for something” or “I’m saving the planet, and I need you to know it.”
Under the Hood (Or Where the Hood Would Be)
Powering this charming little hatchback is a newly developed electric motor with 70 kW (95 PS), giving it a top speed of 130 km/h. It promises a range of at least 250 kilometres—not enough to cross continents, but perfectly adequate for urban commuting and the occasional weekend getaway.
The ID. EVERY1 is built on Volkswagen’s new modular electric drive platform (MEB) with electric front-wheel drive. According to Volkswagen, this configuration offers “revolutionary space utilisation and maximum efficiency.” Translation: they’ve figured out how to cram more stuff into less space, which is essentially the German engineering equivalent of Mary Poppins’ handbag.
Software That Grows With You
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the ID. EVERY1 is its software architecture. The production version will be the first model in the entire Volkswagen Group to use a new, particularly powerful software platform that allows for lifelong updates and upgrades.
Kai Grünitz, Volkswagen’s Board Member responsible for Development, calls this approach “Customer Defined Vehicles,” explaining that the car can be “individually adapted to [customers’] needs” even after purchase. It’s like buying a car that, instead of depreciating the moment you drive it off the lot, actually gets better over time—a concept almost as revolutionary as the electric drivetrain itself.
The Three-Phase Plan: Catch Up, Attack, Lead
The ID. EVERY1 is part of Volkswagen’s ambitious three-phase plan for the future:
- Catch up: Strengthen competitiveness and expand the existing model range. Volkswagen will provide another preview of its Electric Urban Car Family in autumn 2025.
- Attack: Launch nine new models by 2027, including the production version of the ID.2all for less than €25,000 and the ID. EVERY1 for about €20,000.
- Lead: Become “the technologically leading high-volume manufacturer with the safest, most innovative and best-selling cars by 2030.”
It’s an ambitious roadmap that acknowledges a hard truth: Volkswagen isn’t currently leading the EV revolution, but they’re determined to not just catch up but overtake the competition.
The Bottom Line
The ID. EVERY1 show car represents Volkswagen’s commitment to making electric mobility accessible to the masses. In a market where many EVs remain luxury items, Volkswagen is returning to its roots as a provider of transportation for everyone—not just the wealthy or the environmentally righteous.
While 2027 might seem like a long wait, the ID. EVERY1 gives us hope that electric vehicles may eventually become what Volkswagen has always aspired to build: cars for the people. Let’s just hope that by the time it reaches production, we haven’t all been replaced by AI or underwater due to climate change. Either way, at least we’ll have an affordable, smiling EV to welcome our new robot overlords or navigate the rising sea levels.
