Inexpensive EVs are on lots of people’s minds as of late, however one title is lacking from the dialog. Volkswagen launched its ID household of EVs seven years in the past with the promise of electrical mobility for “the hundreds of thousands, not millionaires,” however in the US at the least, the promise stays simply that.
The VW Group has lavished sources on its luxurious manufacturers Audi and Porsche, and even created the brand new Scout model to problem Rivian, but it surely’s let its namesake model stagnate. VW solely sells the getting older ID.4 crossover within the U.S. It’s an unlucky state of affairs for what was one of the vital promising efforts by a longtime automaker to deliver EVs to the lots. However VW might have already figured a means out.
The ID Imaginative and prescient
Out of the soot and ashes of the “Dieselgate” emissions scandal, Volkswagen doubled down on an EVs as a strategy to clear up its picture and meet stricter future emissions requirements. What it got here up with was a versatile structure referred to as MEB that would help a number of fashions inbuilt massive volumes, offering the economies of scale to make EVs reasonably priced and worthwhile.
To indicate it was critical, VW named first MEB-based mannequin—a European-market hatchback formed like a Nineteen Nineties laptop mouse—the ID.3 to suggest its standing as an epoch-making automobile following the unique Beetle and the Golf, the mannequin that introduced VW into the trendy age and ushered within the period of the essential, front-wheel drive compact automobile. Manufacturing began in 2019 and VW mentioned on the time that it could have 50 electrical fashions totaling 15 million cumulative international gross sales by 2028.
Realizing that Individuals have an aversion to hatchbacks (partly due to unhealthy recollections of early diesel variations of the Golf), VW opted to deliver the MEB revolution to this market with the ID.4, a crossover SUV designed to compete towards well-liked fashions just like the Toyota RAV4. Extra importantly, VW deliberate to construct the ID.4 in massive numbers at its Tennessee manufacturing facility, nudge sellers into promoting them, and value them competitively beginning at round $35,000.
The ID.4 actuality
VW was in a position to ship on that promise initially. The ID.4 launched in 2021 as a considerably bland entry that, apart from early software program points, was additionally inoffensive. Very similar to the gasoline crossovers it hoped to compete towards, in different phrases. The EV had a beginning value of $41,190 with 260 miles of vary in rear-wheel drive launch kind. VW quickly added an all-wheel drive model and ramped up manufacturing in Tennessee.
The automaker went on promote a excessive of 37,789 models in 2023, however a door-latch subject that compelled a recall and manufacturing halt curtailed gross sales in 2024. Manufacturing restarted simply in time for the cancellation of federal EV incentives and common financial chaos of 2025, however VW rallied to promote 23,373 models over the course of your complete. Nevertheless, one other manufacturing slowdown meant the ID.4 ran out of cost towards the tip of the 12 months, with simply 248 autos delivered in This autumn.
A chaotic 2025 doubtless hid what ought to be a gradual decline. The ID.4 is now an outdated mannequin by business requirements, and now not aggressive with the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, whose 800-volt electrical architectures depart the VW within the mud in terms of charging. And whereas the longest-range variations can now go about 290 miles per cost, the worth has additionally crept as much as about $45,000. You’ll be able to spec a 318-mile Ioniq 5 for about $7,500 much less.
Distractions
How did VW get thus far? Mission creep is partly accountable. The automaker did introduce a less expensive model of the ID.4 for the 2023 mannequin 12 months, but it surely nonetheless value just below $39,000 — nonetheless a couple of grand off from the unique goal — and solely had 209 miles of vary. However VW largely ignored the ID.4 after that and targeted on two fashions that proved to be a waste of time.
The primary was the ID.7 sedan which, regardless of its glossy appears to be like, was at all times going to be a tricky promote within the U.S. Whether or not they’re gasoline or electrical, sedan gross sales have hit a low level on this facet of the Atlantic. VW talked an enormous sport, staging a U.S. reveal and even inviting American media to drive the ID.7, however pulled the plug earlier than gross sales began.
In the meantime, VW had been teasing a contemporary model of the basic Microbus primarily based on the MEB structure, beginning with an idea automobile that appeared on the 2017 Detroit Auto Present. The manufacturing ID.Buzz didn’t attain the U.S. till the 2025 mannequin 12 months, and solely in an overpriced kind that drew few takers. As of this writing, the Buzz has been placed on maintain for the 2026 mannequin 12 months. The truth that the ID.Buzz was spearheaded by VW’s European commercial-vehicle division doubtless contributed to its flop as a U.S.-market passenger automobile.
Can VW flip issues round?
It’s tempting to suppose that VW’s sputtering EV efforts are simply one other manifestation of the automaker’s problem in understanding the U.S. market, the identical ignorance (or maybe conceitedness) that led to Dieselgate and has typically saved VW a smaller participant on this market for a corporation of its dimension. Solely this time, VW may even have a plan to show issues round.
Automotive Information Europe reported this week that, as a part of an upcoming refresh, the ID.4 will change into the ID.Tiguan. It signifies a transfer away from the ID EV fashions as a brand new period for VW, but in addition brings the ID.4 nearer to its unique mission of competing with the most-popular gasoline crossovers. The Tiguan is VW’s bestselling mannequin within the U.S., and borrowing its title provides clients a body of reference, simply because the Chevrolet Equinox EV does for Basic Motors buyers. Hopefully that’s backed by adjustments that make the ID.4/Tiguan really feel extra like a standard automobile and fewer like a mashup of tech tendencies.
A refreshed ID.4 may nonetheless be related in a U.S. market the place small electrical crossovers stay well-liked, and the place VW already has an area manufacturing base many different manufacturers want that they had. It’ll nonetheless be a far cry from the lofty targets that kicked off the ID venture (VW mentioned in 2024 that it had bought 1.3 million ID-family EVs globally), however an reasonably priced, sensible EV remains to be as necessary as we speak because it was then.
