Ford partner Volkswagen was one of the last holdouts in terms of automakers remaining all-in on transitioning its entire lineup to EV models in the coming years, but earlier this month, it finally wavered from that plan. First, VW announced that it would be pivoting to hybrids in the short term, and then, revealed that it was delaying the launch of the ID.7 sedan in North America and will instead focus on EV crossovers first. However, it also seems as if the Germany automaker is focused on developing its own low-cost EV as well.
According to a new report from Reuters, Volkswagen is setting its sights on developing a new EV with a price tag of around 20,000 euros ($21,746 USD), with a global debut slated for 2027. The project is currently known as ID.1, and is aimed at competing with cheaper Chinese EVs that are now launching in various parts of the globe, including Europe, undercutting the competition by a significant margin. VW plans on leveraging its existing ties in Europe to keep costs down and build something competitive.
This strategy is precisely what Ford is also implementing at the moment, as The Blue Oval has been working on its own low-cost EV platform for around two years now. The first model that will launch with this new platform is a crossover slated to arrive in 2026 with a $25k price tag, and stems from increased Chinese competition as well.
As for Ford Europe, it’s currently exploring its own options in regard to how it plans to compete with cheap Chinese EVs, aside from the Ford Explorer EV and another future crossover underpinned by VW’s MEB platform. It’s possible that The Blue Oval’s European division may also utilize a low-cost platform of its own for future models, which could even include a car or two – not just crossovers.
We’ll have more on everything Ford’s competition is up to soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
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