Volkswagen have unveiled their ID. LIFE concept electric car at the IAA MOBILITY motor show 2021 in Munich. It gives an impression of how the brand’s entry-level electric vehicle (EV) might look.
The new zero-emissions car is part of Volkswagen’s ACCELERATE strategy that’s trying to help speed up the transformation to electric mobility, making sustainable mobility accessible to even more people by 2025.
The ID.Life is expected to cost approximately €20,000 (£17,000/$24,000) and has been released two years earlier than expected. Seeing lower-priced zero-emissions vehicles coming soon is always good and will hopefully help speed up the adoption of electric cars.
The vision here is for a small electric car for the urban environment that’s centred around people and communal experiences. The concept car combines sustainability and digitalisation with extremely flexible usage.
Ralf Brandstätter, Volkswagen brand CEO, said: “The ID. LIFE is our vision of next-generation fully electric urban mobility. The concept car provides a preview of an ID. model in the small car segment that we will be launching in 2025, priced at around 20,000 euros.
“This means we are making electric mobility accessible to even more people. In creating the ID. LIFE, we have consistently focused on the needs of younger customers. We believe that, even more so than today, the car of the future will be about lifestyle and personal expression.
“The customer of tomorrow won’t simply want to get from A to B; they will be much more interested in the experiences that a car can offer. The ID. LIFE is our answer to this.”
The front-wheel-drive ID. LIFE is based on a smaller variant of Volkswagen’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) electric platform that has been developed specifically for the small car segment. This is the first time a vehicle based on the MEB has front-wheel-drive.
It features a 172kW (234 PS) electric motor driven by a 57kWh high-voltage battery that enables a range of 249 miles (400km). The ID. LIFE will accelerate from 0-62mph (0-100kph) in 6.9 seconds,
Thomas Ulbrich, Volkswagen brand board of management for development member, said: “The ID. LIFE proves once again how uniquely flexible the MEB is. The platform is suitable for vehicles of all types, from small cars to vans.
“It’s the most scalable electrical architecture in the industry. We’re just beginning to tap into the potential of MEB. Performance, charging capacity and range will continue to improve with each new model and software update.”
Volkswagen have used sustainable materials on the ID. LIFE. These include wood chips used as a natural colouring agent along with a bio-based hardener used in the clear coat for the bodywork. The air chamber textile for the roof and front cover is made from 100% percent recycled PET bottles.
Wood is used in the dashboard and rear seat surrounds is combined with ArtVelours Eco for the seat surfaces and door trims. Bio-oil, natural rubber and rice husks are just some of the materials that serve as a basis for the tyres on the ID. LIFE
