New Volkswagen electric car makes appearance on a Christmas card – Roadshow

Volkswagen is feeling the holiday spirit and gave auto media a little gift as we march toward the end of 2019, and it’s none other than a look at another upcoming VW electric car.

Autocar first reported on Thursday on the automaker’s latest Christmas card, which shows a hatchback decidedly smaller-looking than the ID 3. VW has admitted to developing a smaller, more affordable electric car, and this is likely our first look at the vehicle.

The company has a track record for this kind of thing, too. In 2018, the firm’s Christmas card featured what looked like a Buggy. This year, VW showed off the very rad ID Buggy concept. If history repeats itself, VW may be prepared to show us this car in 2020. VW did not immediately respond to a request for comment and more information.

The car’s sketched shape looks somewhat like a VW Polo, a smaller hatchback sold in Europe below the Golf. We don’t see the front end, but it’s safe to assume it will wear the ID electric car family’s face. The rear features a thin light bar akin to those so many ID concept cars, which further bolsters the argument this is, in fact, another ID electric car.

Autocar quoted VW Chief Operating Officer Ralf Brandstätter as saying this future EV will go 150 miles on a single charge at most. The executive said the automaker imagines this ID vehicle will be a complementary car, perhaps not used as primary transportation. A smaller battery, and thus a lower driving range, will help keep the sale price low.

However, there’s no guarantee this model will be for the US. The public here has largely fallen out of love with compact vehicles, which may make this unnamed electric car a tough sell. Instead, VW’s first-launched electric car for the US will be the ID 4 SUV next year. We’ll then get a version of the ID Space Vizzion concept, which debuted as an electric station wagon.