Reinvented ID line-up gains high-tech flagship, Tiguan equivalent and entry-level SUV
GREG KABLE
Volkswagen is preparing to launch a trio of crucial new electric SUVs under a revised ID model strategy recently implemented by its CEO, Thomas Schäfer.
The three new SUVs have been conceived to provide the German car maker with a broader spread of electric models in each of Europe’s key market segments. They will build on the foundations laid by the ID 4 and ID 5 – both of which are set to be upgraded with more powerful electric drivetrain options later this year, prior to receiving a facelift and more contemporary digital interior functions in early 2024.
Included in Volkswagen’s electric SUV plans are a pair of big-selling new crossovers – one mid-sized and the other much smaller – both aimed at traditional volume segments, plus a luxurious and highly advanced range-topper that will serve as a halo model for the company’s all-EV line-up.
RADICAL REINVENTION FOR TIGUAN
The first to arrive will be what insiders at the company refer to as the electric Tiguan. Described as having a more traditional and upright exterior design than the ID 4 and ID 5, it is tentatively planned to be introduced in 2025.
Secrecy surrounds the new model, although it is expected to offer the choice of both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive along with a standard five-seat and optional seven-seat interior layout.
The basis for Volkswagen’s upcoming mid-range electric SUV is the company’s new MEB+ architecture – a further developed version of today’s MEB structure announced by Schäfer in 2022.
“The MEB still has a lot of potential. Our goal is to take the platform to the next level,” he said. “To achieve this, we are investing substantially in upgrading it. With the MEB+, we will then be in an excellent position for the years to come.”
Among the key developments planned for the MEB+ is the adoption of new unified battery cell technology, which, Volkswagen has confirmed, is earmarked to be introduced in 2025. This suggests the electric Tiguan will not be launched before the middle of the decade.
The MEB+ platform will enable higher charging speeds and greater ranges than those achieved by MEB models today, meaning the Tiguan EV will advance beyond the 170kW charging capacity and 324-mile range offered by the ID 4 Pro’s 77kWh battery.
Although there have been suggestions that the electric Tiguan could replace the ID 4 and ID 5, this is denied by Schäfer, who indicates the three models will co-exist
