Volkswagen ID.Life: we drive the electric car that will be manufactured in Spain

• Test VW ID.3, a true electric Golf

• VW ID.4 test: the global electric

In increasingly distant times, Ferdinand Piech (the historically powerful VW Group No. 1, now deceased) used to put a small coin on top of a V8 engine to show how smooth it ran and how little the coin vibrated. "

so that the largest European car manufacturer can contribute to the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement", says

, head of the German group's electric models.

It all started in 2015, shortly after the

blew

. Mass investments followed with

earmarked for this

in the initial phase of the project. At the

followed

(between the two, more than

) and the ramifications of the series of electric models continue to

grow in all brands. Only at VW will we have the

sports coupe

.

In 2023 we will have a magical moment with the arrival of

, while in 2024 Europe will receive a model whose code is currently

, a

that will bring

.

On tiptoe

already

.

Volkswagen takes another decisive step in the democratization of electric mobility, with the promise of a four-seater car with prices starting at 20,000 euros

The transformation will not be as radical as that of a butterfly flying out of the cocoon made by the intricate weave of a silkworm, but it will naturally differ from the

we tested in a

.

There is no question that it

(and at least 50% in the US and China).

The VW ID Life is, therefore, much more than a mere exercise in nostalgic style and Volkswagen adds that it is

, with scratch price promises - or even marginally. below - 20,000 euros.

Three and a half years separate us from its arrival

, enough time for the cost lines of electric propulsion (mainly batteries) and thermal propulsion to cross, in opposite directions, and

.

Compared to VW's previous step into the electric world, the

whose production has already been discontinued, the advantages are more than many:

(225 liters of luggage compartment, 108 more in the underground compartment and 68 liters in the front luggage compartment, as well as a compartment for the charging cable), to which is added a

.

From 'concept' to production

"The ID Life shows a first glimpse of what will come with

" confirms

, CEO of the VW brand.

Being a car manufactured by the largest European car manufacturer and with affordable prices, there is no doubt that it is

.

As a

, it is natural that this ID.Life, presented at the Munich motor show in September, has several

, although a

. This is the case with the LED lighting in the grille or the

so that two people can have a good time lying inside, which can be converted into

or even on a bed (for this, the backs of the rear seats can be put in a more reclined position or be completely horizontal).

There are

totally or partially in this or other VW models: the

that can be completely removed and that uses air chambers in its structure (the same as the hood), and that is can open with a zipper.

Or the

used in the construction of the body, which

.

Cameras that replace exterior and interior mirrors could be a solution for affordable models in 2025

Being minimalist, the interior (which is unlocked by means of a camera in the central pillar and a facial recognition software) shows quite original solutions, such as the

(for climate control and lighting) and the

that can never be labeled as too experimental because we already see similar solutions on the market today - at least in some cases - and

.

The same can be said of the

(which project images on the 9 "screen in front of the driver, already used at Audi and which in 2025 could well be a solution for more affordable models like the ID2. What will clearly remain is the

, which, in addition to creating a link with the VW models of the past (such as the first Golf or the 'Bus'), allows to have a spacious cabin, the second one row can receive 1.85 meter high passengers without feeling overwhelmed.

The proportions of the bodywork confirm that we are inside a

: 4.1 m long, 1.84 wide and 1.6 high, with a wheelbase of 2, 65m, very large as usual in electric cars.

"

.

engineer responsible for VW concept cars as he accompanied me on a trip inside the German brand's headquarters complex in Wolfsburg.

Impressive performance

The performance, performance and range figures are quite impressive:

with a full charge of the 57 kWh battery located under the car's floor. between the two axes. And that it can be

, in

direct

, promising the Germans that at maximum power it

.

I sit behind the wheel to feel Scandinavian minimalism in its most perfect sense: wood, as we have seen,

in the center and a

at the top, reminiscent of those used in

. There are many

, always positive messages to help save the world,

(with the possibility of

), in addition to the aforementioned central magnet to hold the

, so that (with the help of an app and the VW ID portal) it is possible to

.

I use the

(PRND: Park, Rear, Neutral and Drive) to manage the movement of the ID.Life.

The very quiet start-up is something that is not surprising and here there is even less aerodynamic noise than in any

electric car

because the

:

,

Sienar explains with a sincere smile.

This absence of noise is not total, since the integrity of the handmade bodywork is not exemplary

, something totally acceptable and normal in a vehicle manufactured for these purposes. That is to say, there are

that ends up not being felt as much because the suspension travel (independent on all four wheels, McPherson in front and multi-arms in the rear) is long.

, which is also confirmed by its

.

On the other hand, the problem that I anticipated to make tighter maneuvers (such as a complete turn on its own axis or when parking) when the steering wheel was cut at the top is almost not verified because

, almost avoiding changes in the position of the hands on the steering wheel.

.

That's not gonna happen.

Toys very seriously

In 2012, the VW Group conceived a

that could be increased and decreased depending on the vehicle they would serve as a base, from a Polo to a Passat. Now (with the electric MEB) there are even more

, with whose pieces many of us play as we grow (and we grow as we play), if only because these 'toys' are, indeed, battery operated.

It is the basis of cars

ranging from compact to SUV or MPV and is being used by the brands

and

. On the floor of the car are the batteries and (until the arrival of the ID.2 that will have a front engine)

, the secondary one on the front, which comes into action when required, providing more power / torque and 4x4 traction.

In the medium term,

(MEB Evo, in 2026), which will be the basis for the

, with a much higher aluminum content and, therefore, therefore lighter, as well as a much more sophisticated digital base: "

, a pilot project,

and will set new standards in terms of autonomy, charging speed - as fast as refueling - and digitization ", sums up Ralf Brandstaeter, CEO of Volkswagen.

VW revolutionizes production

Chess completely renewed.

The reinvention of a consortium of a dozen car brands, several of which have a large volume of production and sales, requires a

both for the manufacture of vehicles (about 70 new electric cars at the end of this year). decade) and batteries.

The map shows what is official:

;

The ID.3 is also being built

in

, which, together with the industrial units in

, already meant

.

Emden

(in 2022) will also be the second birthplace of the ID.4 and in Hannover the assembly of the electric commercials and the ID.Buzz, the long-awaited electric bus, will be concentrated, while

(USA) is already in process preparing to produce the first models on this all-electric technical basis.

For more than two-thirds of the VWs for sale in Europe to be electric, it will be necessary to have

of energy per year, which will come from

that should be active by 2030 and whose projects are ongoing (each capable of producing around 40 GWh): cases of

(in partnership with Iberdrola and SEAT),

(in Sweden with Northvolt) and

(with the Chinese of Gotion High Tecnología).

On the other hand,

, production director of the German group, announced that "

, and this will allow

. "

At a later stage, "

will cut charging times in half and allow them to extend their autonomy by 30%, thanks to the reduction in weight," concluded Schmall.

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