Currently reading: Volkswagen electric vehicle shown in new design sketches

Volkswagen has released new pictures of its first electric-only model ahead of its full reveal at the Paris motor show next week

Volkswagen has shown its upcoming electric model in a series of revealing sketches ahead of its debut at the Paris motor show.

The Volkswagen electric concept has now been revealed. Click here to see it.

The EV, which will be revealed next week, is a five-door hatchback with sliding rear passenger doors.

The images confirm it gets futuristic lighting and a rear roofline that extends out beyond the tailgate. With no combustion engine to feed, the car's nose is short and has no grille.

The model, which has been scheduled for release in 2019, will be capable of travelling between 250 and 300 miles on a single charge, according to VW Group CEO Matthias Müller, with charging only taking 15 minutes.

The man in charge of the project, Christian Senger, said a range of 250 miles is adequate for everyday use. The car will also use a conventional mainly steel body. "Construction will be the same as today," said Senger. "There won’t be any radical body concepts."

Vw ev4

The EV will be a similar size to the brand's Volkswagen Golf hatchback, but the benefits of the packaging of electric vehicles mean that interior space is set to rival that of the larger Volkswagen Passat.

We know that the car will be packed with technology, including a 24-hour internet connection and a continuous link to a Volkswagen app store. A 'Volkswagen ID' will be specific to every driver, with their preferences and settings saved and applied to other cars, such as hire cars, that the driver may use. 

The model will be the second of five electric Volkswagen electric vehicles, all developed as the brand looks to move away from fossil fuels following the Dieselgate emissions scandal. The follow-up models to the hatchback will be a crossover, a luxury saloon and a sports car. An MPV will come before the hatchback and will most likely be a production version of the Budd-e concept. 

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Volkswagen's target is to be selling one million fully electric vehicles by 2025. 

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spqr 23 September 2016

Another VAG Puff Piece from Autocar

Is it at all possible that Autocar could apply some critical reasoning to VAG press department release? Obviously not Autocar seem to be the VAG Press Department at the moment. For example why is it that it takes astute members of the Autocar Commentator Community (ACC) to point out the silly claims for range, charging times etc or that the pictures are just "random sketches"? Shouldn't a journalist look at the claims made by a manufacturer and question them? Point out the flaws? Especially as this is VAG that well known symbol of truth, accuracy and honesty. Just asking.
androo 23 September 2016

It's just a sketch

This is silly. This is just a random sketch of a sort of modern looking car , not a picture VW has released of its new car. It'll look vaguely like this but then so does most of their range.
bowsersheepdog 18 September 2016

For those who miss donkeys

Any car that has to be plugged in to the mains is an automatic fail. The car is about mobility and freedom of movement. If one cannot run out of fuel on a deserted country road, miles from anywhere and simply get a container out of the boot and be on the move again in a couple of minutes it isn't a car.

I've often said before that petrol hybrids which recover braking energy, or maybe even have a solar panel, supplementing the petrol engine to boost power for short term performance or limit emissions in congestion, may have some future, but that's it. Electric cars are going nowhere.

xxxx 23 September 2016

Who's the donkey

bowsersheepdog wrote:

Any car that has to be plugged in to the mains is an automatic fail. The car is about mobility and freedom of movement. If one cannot run out of fuel on a deserted country road, miles from anywhere and simply get a container out of the boot and be on the move again in a couple of minutes it isn't a car.

I've often said before that petrol hybrids which recover braking energy, or maybe even have a solar panel, supplementing the petrol engine to boost power for short term performance or limit emissions in congestion, may have some future, but that's it. Electric cars are going nowhere.

"simply get a container out of the boot and be on the move again in a couple of minutes it isn't a car" I've never run out of petrol and 99% of people don't carry a can of petrol around. Besides you'd have to be a complete donkey to run out fuel or electricity. EV cars are here to stay at what point will you stop saying "Electric cars are going nowhere" and admit you're wrong. Bear in mind in 1 in 4 new cars are electric in Norway. ps the "at what point ..." was a serious question can you give your answer as sales percentage which you deem EV's to be a success afterall

Phil R 23 September 2016

@bowsersheepdog: Random Poll

Out of the readers here, who actually carries a jerry can in the boot of their car still, or knows anyone else who does for that matter? Fuel gauges aren't exactly unreliable, most cars have trip computers now, so how on earth would you manage to stretch the range so far you'd run out of petrol?
Phil R 23 September 2016

@bowsersheepdog: Random Poll

Out of the readers here, who actually carries a jerry can in the boot of their car still, or knows anyone else who does for that matter? Fuel gauges aren't exactly unreliable, most cars have trip computers now, so how on earth would you manage to stretch the range so far you'd run out of petrol?