Autocar UK – 24 April 2019

24 APRIL 2 019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 9

V

olkswagen is considering

an all-electric off-roader

that would rival the new

Land Rover Defender as

part of its ID family of vehicles,

design boss Klaus Bischoff

has confirmed.

The company will later this

year launch the production

version of the ID hatch, the

first machine built on its new

MEB electric architecture –

and it will be followed by a

string of fully electric models

on that platform in the

coming years.

Speaking on the eve of the

Shanghai motor show, where

the firm launched the new ID

Roomzz large SUV concept,

Bischoff responded to a

question about Volkswagen

producing a more traditional

MEB-based 4x4 by saying:

“Maybe one of the next ID

family members is a more

rugged thing than we’ve seen.” 

At the Geneva motor show in

March, Volkswagen launched

an ID Buggy concept, which

is intended as a small-volume

lifestyle model that could

be produced by partners.

H oweve r, i t a l s o s e r ve s a s a

proof of concept for a possible

electric off-roader.

The instant torque of

an electric car would

be ideally suited

to off-road

driving

and

`

The instant torque of an

electric car would be ideally

suited to off-road driving

a

ID Buggy shows the

potential for small-

scale off-road EVs

The phrase ‘economies of

s c a l e ’ c a n s t r i k e f e a r i n t o

the hearts of car fans. You

often hear it when firms

axe niche models, such

as sports cars and proper

off-roaders. They cost too

much to make and don’t sell

enough. The economies of

scale don’t add up. Here,

have another SUV instead.

Yet with electric cars ,

economies of scale

could become the car

enthusiast’s friend. That’s

because, essentially,

electric cars aren’t

particularly complicated

and elements such as

batteries and electric

motors are largely

interchangeable between

different types of car.

The Volkswagen Group

is aiming to exploit that to

the full with its MEB electric

platform, which has been

designed to quickly spawn

a whole range of different

machines. There are a few

variants of wheelbase, and

single- and dual-motor

versions, but effectively all

o f V W ’ s I D e l e c t r i c c a r s c a n

share economies of scale

for the key elements.

Which means that, if VW

sells enough ID hatches

and electric SUVs, it will be

fa r e a s i e r t o m a k e a v i a b l e

business case for lower-

volume models, such as the

ID Buggy – or a genuinely

hardcore 4x4 off-roader.

With the instant torque and

power of an EV, an electric

off-roader could be very

tempting and a real brand-

building showcase of the

capabilities of electric tech.

IT’S GOOD TO SHARE

JAMES ATTWOOD

ID hatch, due this

year, will be the first

of V W ’s n ew EV fa m i l y

the longest-wheelbase version

of the MEB platform, used on

the Roomzz and ID Buzz MPV,

has been designed to house an

all-wheel-drive powertrain, with

electric motors on each axle.

Bischoff also highlighted

the wide-ranging flexibility of

the MEB architecture, which

effectively bolts different

bodyshells onto skateboard-

style platforms, allowing for

an easier adoption of more

distinct body shapes.

This also means that lower-

volume models can share

economies of scale

with larger-selling cars on the

same platform, making them

easier to justify financially.

That could be crucial in gaining

management approval for a

truly capable 4x4 off-roader.

“Everything is possible –

wider track, different seating

conditions, longer wheelbase.

Anything goes,” said Bischoff.

He highlighted the ID Buzz, a

retro-themed electric revival

of the 1950s Microbus with

extremely short overhangs,

as the best example of the

bodystyle variations that

are possible.

A dedicated MEB off-roader

would offer substantially

more

ground clearance than the ID

Crozz SUV concept Volkswagen

has previously revealed and

Bischoff admitted that this

could cause design issues. 

“The higher and more

boxy you go, the harder the

aerodynamics are. It’s the

biggest hurdle,” he said. “You

can lose 60 kilometres [

miles] of range by doing this.”

Volkswagen’s initial focus

with the ID range will be on

volume models such as the

hatch, Crozz and Roomzz, so

the off-roader would be unlikely

to appear until 2023 at the

earliest. The pace of battery

development means that,

by that date, more advanced

systems could make range less

of an issue than it could be with

an electric off-roader today.

Volkswagen recently

showcased a concept of a

remote EV charging station,

which uses recycled ID car

batteries, as a way of installing

charging points in remote

locations away from power

infrastructure. That system

could make the concept of

an electric off-roader a more

viable production proposition

for the brand.

Bischoff also claimed

there is “scope for something

smaller” than the Golf-

sized ID hatchback, a nod

to the Polo-sized electric

‘people’s car’ the firm is

developing. He said cost

competitiveness is the main

barrier to such a car.

“The smaller it gets, the

h a r d e r i t i s o n th e co st s i d e.

People are not willing to

pay the same for less,”

Bischoff said. “If you go

below ID, you are crossing

the magic line of €20,

[£17,300]. Then it will be

hard on the material cost

side and business case side.”

Bischoff also confirmed

Volkswagen’s plan to launch

a new ID model every

six months and said the

Frankfurt motor show in

September will be the most

important show for the

brand in years.

“Everything comes

together [at Frankfurt] –

everything we’ve worked

on over the past few years.

New design direction,

everything,” he said.

The production ID

hatchback will star on the

firm’s stand there and

it’s likely that further ID

concepts will be unveiled.

LAWRENCE ALLAN