After earlier speculation about the name of the production version of the ID. Every1, German sources now seem to confirm the € 20.000 electric Volkswagen will be called ID. Up.
The smallest VW EV is expected to come on the market in 2027. While initial speculation suggested it would be called ID.1, the German brand’s naming strategy has since completely changed. And in line with VW. ID. Polo, ID. Cross and ID. Tiguan, the model would get a name that brings back memories: ID. Up.
The German media outlet Auto Motor und Sport has found a mention of the name “ID”. Up in the records of the European Intellectual Property Office. This might suggest that the name for the production model is set in stone.
Reincarnation
Volkswagen previously had the boxy Up City car in its catalog, building it between 2011 and 2023. Besides petrol and diesel versions, the car was also sold as a fully electric car under the name E-Up, with the ID registered. Volkswagen seems to have made up its mind about the name of its smallest EV.
Another name that previously circulated was ID. Lupo. The Lupo was the city car that launched Volkswagen into the segment below the Polo, from 1998 to 2005. It was, among other things, available in an iconic 3L version, with a fuel consumption of only 3 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers.
The ID. Up is planned for 2027 and will be built on VW’s electric MEB+ platform, which is also used for the ID. Polo and ID. Cross. The battery size will likely be smaller than that of its larger siblings, given the target price below €20.000 and the city-focused vocation of the model.
When showing the ID. Every 1 study, Volkswagen announced a 70 kW motor and a range of at least 250 km. The concept’s top speed was limited to 130 km/h, which would also make sense for the production version.
Although it will be targeted for city use, the small EV will be bigger than the original Up. The ID. Every1 concept measured 3,88 meters. Even with this bigger size, it would still fit in the new M1E vehicle category created by the EU.
The M1E qualification also stipulates that the car has to be built in the EU. And that will be the case for the ID. Up. Volkswagen previously announced that its smallest EV will be built in its Palmela plant, in Portugal. This decision was taken to keep production costs down, but it was met with criticism in Germany, where the group is closing plants.
VW-Rivian software
Although the ID. Up will be built on the same platform as the ID. Polo, Auto Motor und Sport suggests it will be the first model to use the new software architecture developed by the joint venture between Rivian and Volkswagen.
Software has been one of the Achilles’ heels within the Volkswagen group during the launch of its MEB-based electric models. At the start, they were plagued with issues and an unpolished user experience, which VW is correcting with every facelift and new model.
A newly developed software-defined architecture could be a fresh start, unlocking the full potential of the small EV. Using a central brain and fewer individual units throughout the car could make it cheaper to build and provide greater flexibility over the vehicle’s lifetime.
