Currently reading: VW’s first electric GTI to focus on go-kart fun and drivability

Technical boss hints at how the new ID GTI will drive – and it’s not about pure power

The production version of the Volkswagen ID GTI concept will prioritise “go-kart” handling and fun over outright power, according to the firm’s technical chief.

The sporty variant of the forthcoming ID 2all is due to go into production in 2026 and will be the first electric Volkswagen to use the GTI badge.

Performance variants of the current electric ID line-up have used the GTX branding but Volkswagen boss Thomas Schäfer confirmed last year that the GTI badge would join the Golf in going electric in the future.

Speaking at the recent GTI Fan Fest event in Wolfsburg, which celebrated 50 years of the Golf and 48 years of GTI cars, Volkswagen technical boss Kai Grünitz hinted that the model wouldn’t focus purely on acceleration and outright power, which are easy to achieve with an electric powertrain.

“GTI is alive and we’ll keep it alive in the future,” said Grünitz. “The GTI badge is about passion, and when we started looking at ideas for an electric GTI, we knew it’s about more than just power.”

Speaking about how it will be positioned, he said: “With an electric car, adding a lot of power is really easy, but do we need 300bhp or 350bhp? With a GTI, what’s more important than power is drivability. It will be a real go kart. I’ve driven a prototype and it’s really amazing.”

The production version of the ID GTI will sit on the entry-level variant of the MEB platform that will also underpin a range of models from Cupra and Skoda.

The concept shows it will feature a number of traditional GTI design cues. It will also serve as a precursor to the next-generation fully electric Golf, which is due around 2027 as the first model to sit on the Volkswagen Group’s advanced SSP platform.

Speaking at the GTI Fan Fest about that car, Volkswagen design chief Andreas Mindt said: “We started with the design and we promise that when you see the first sketches, you’ll see that this is a real Golf. It will be the authentic face of a Golf.

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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Anton motorhead 15 August 2024
Thank you VW for not focusing on power, but on great handling. Now if you would focus on fast charging instead of range there is a chance your handling target could be met with a relatively light drivers car not carrying an excessively heavy battery pack. Weight is always the enemy. Just ask Colin.
Peter Cavellini 14 August 2024

And it will cost?, go cart handling?, how about drives like a mk7 GTi?