Volkswagen is starting to give us some information on its future electric Golf, which could take the name ID. Golf. The compact should be based on the new SSP platform, with great autonomy and ultra-fast charging. It will see the light of day from 2028.
Like all manufacturers, or almost, Volkswagen will have to sell only electric cars in Europe from 2035, in accordance with the will of Brussels. And this even if Germany had threatened to vote against this measure, if it did not win its case with regard to synthetic fuels (e-fuel). What she finally got.
A new Golf
The German manufacturer already has a fairly well-developed electric range, with the recently restyled ID.3 as well as the ID.4 and ID.5, not to mention the ID. buzz. He also lifted the veil on the ID concept. 2all, which announces an affordable compact under 25,000 euros, as well as the ID.7 at the last CES in Las Vegas. But that’s not all, because other models are still being prepared.
If it was rumored that the production version of the concept recently presented would take the name of ID. Golf, it would seem that this is ultimately not the case. On the other hand, such a model inspired by the thermal compact would indeed be in preparation, but with a later arrival. This is confirmed Thomas Schäfer, the current boss of Volkswagen in an interview with the German site Automobilwoche.
The latter asserts that the future electric Volkswagen Golf will not see the light of day before 2028. A date which was not chosen at random, but which is the one on which the new modular SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) will be launched. The leader announces that the compact will not be marketed before, which confirms that it will be based on the latter.
This technical base, which aims to replace the MEB which is starting to age, was originally supposed to see the light of day in 2025. Except that major software problems have forced the Volkswagen group to postpone the launch of this platform. This should equip the electric models of all the brands of the group, including Skoda and Cupra.
The change will be enormous, since the SSP platform will switch to an 800 volt architecture, instead of 400 volts for the MEB. This will drastically increase the charging power, and therefore reduce the time spent refueling. For example, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 only takes 18 minutes to go from 10 to 80%, compared to 30 minutes for the ID. Buzz on the same exercise. And that thanks to the 800 volts.
Autonomy should also be higher than on the current Volkswagen ID.3, thanks to a new battery designed in-house and manufactured in Europe, in Volkswagen factories. The first price could be more affordable, thanks to the use of LFP batteries, as at Ford for example.
An electric Tiguan
The SSP platform must make the cars of the German firm more connected, in order to allow them to become software defined vehicles, which are characterized by the massive use of embedded technologies. Renault is also working on the subject with a first vehicle of this type planned for 2026, thanks to its collaboration with Google.
In the interview, the businessman also confirms that the Golf name as well as the GTI badge will not be abandoned. On the other hand, it brushes aside the possibility of seeing a new thermal generation arrive after 2026 or 2027. Because the ban on the sale of internal combustion cars will arrive a few years later. The last model with a classic engine to arrive in the range will be the next T-Roc.
A GTI version of the electric Golf could be considered, while Volkswagen is also working on developing a sporty variant of the ID.2 that will likely carry that badge. For the record, the high-performance versions of the current models are distinguished by the GTX suffix. We do not know what name will bear the future ID. More dynamic buzz which is also on the program.
Finally, Thomas Schäffer suggests that thee Tiguan will also go electric, without confirming whether he will keep this name. It is in any case what seems most likely, as the boss had already confirmed in half a word. This new version will arrive earlier, from 2026, in the form of an electric SUV, based on the MEB+ platform.
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