Berlin: VW affirming I.D. family, plans electric car sharing

The I.D. Vizzion premiere today in Berlin saw a confident Jürgen Stackmann, member of the board for the Volkswagen brand, affirming their electric mobility schedule. He also announced the launch of an all-electric car sharing with I.D. vehicles based on the new VW platform WE.

“The clock is ticking,” was the opening line of Jürgen Stackmann who oversees the Volkswagen brand and who had invited reporters to witness the premiere of the I.D. Vizzion. The luxury limousine is to preside over the I.D. family eventually. Not just yet though.

So while the clock is ticking indeed, Stackmann reassured media that they were “close to making buyable products out of the vision I.D.” and then issued the first feasible news – the market start for their first electric model. The I.D. will launch in spring 2020. At the same he said he wants to turn Volkswagen into “the world’s most sustainable volume brand”.

For all this to happen, they rely on Volkswagen’s MEB platform and Stackmann confirmed they were right on course. He also announced their intention to keep electric cars at similar price levels of comparable diesel cars. Plus, those not wanting to buy might as well hire a Volkswagen EV in future.

Electric car sharing

In the course of their digitalisation, Volkswagen plans to launch a whole range of mobility services. Among them is ‘We Charge’. The service both handles charging but also sharing of only electric vehicles.

Volkswagen set first fleets to launch in 2019 in Europe’s largest metropolises and plan an expansion to Asia and the United States at a later date. All operations will run through Volkswagen’s new WE platform.

Says Stackmann: “We are convinced that the car sharing market still has potential. That is why we offer a holistic concept from a single source that covers all mobility needs from short trips lasting a few minutes to week-long holiday trips.”

This includes the option for owners to offer their I.D. models as a peer-to-peer service, Stackmann added in Berlin. Electric scooters and small electric scooters could further expand the mobility portfolio. The new electric car sharing offer is said to “complement MOIA’s own Ride Hailing offer”.

Charging infrastructure

Jürgen Stackmann also detailed in Berlin how Volkswagen would charge their electric fleet. Long distance travel is all in the realm of the high power charging IONITY and unsurprisingly so. However, to cover charging at home and at the workplace, VW want to develop their own solutions. A so-called Volkswallbox (a wallbox for the people) could be sold worldwide at a competitive price and in conjunction with renewable energy, specified the executive. Fleet managers may also expect tailor-made charging solutions from the German carmaker.

I.D. Roadmap

While the Berlin presentation hinged on the I.D. Vizzion, it is in fact the smaller I.D. marking the start for the electric era at Volkswagen, particularly in Europe said Stackmann. It will be followed a year later in 2021 by the I.D. Crozz, an electric SUV Stackmann considers a “Conqueror” ready to take the world. The manager thus falsified earlier reports that had hoped to see I.D. Crozz as early as 2019. Stackmann also considers the I.D. Buzz nothing less than a “world market car” due for launch by 2022. Only then will follow the I.D. Vizzion that will be largely autonomous and designed to wow buyers in Asia and America first.

Reporting by Peter Schwierz on site in Berlin, volkswagen.com (WE platform)