VW confirms cheaper ID models, issues securing Buggy partners

Volkswagen confirmed this week that it has plans to build lower-cost ID electric car models beneath the planned ID.1 and ID.2, with more variants expected to be announced soon. Unfortunately, at least one enthusiast-oriented model appears to be struggling to gain traction. 

In an interview with Autocar, VW CEO Ralf Brandstätter acknowledged that the company has plans to slot more low-cost electrics beneath its existing roadmap. So far, we know VW has plans for at least six core ID models (ID.1 through ID.6, appropriately), with various niche models branching off from those. Brandstätter confirmed that both the ID.4 and ID.5 will be offered in a high-performance GTX variant, though it's not clear yet which markets those GTX models are destined for. 

Brandstätter also confirmed that the ID.Buggy's future may be in peril. When the concept was shown, VW announced that it was looking for partners to produce specialty vehicles based on its MEB platform. For the time being, those efforts appear to be stillborn.

“No, we won’t do this car. We had a partner, but in the end it didn’t work out,” he told the UK publication, referring to German company e.Go Mobile, which had a deal with VW to produce an MEB-based Buggy back in 2019. Unfortunately for European VW fans, e.Go is currently mired in bankruptcy proceedings. 

That doesn't mean the ID.Buggy is completely DOA, and it's likely that a production variant bound for the United States would be built with a region-specific partner — say, perhaps, a certain California-based custom builder with a history of doing fun things with Volkswagen platforms. After all, Bruce and Winnie Meyers were on hand for the concept's debut in New York in 2019. 

Per the interview, another off-road variant which had not yet been shown to the public is also on hold. This alleged Land Rover-like model, which was rumored to be called the "ID.Ruggedzz," is "in the drawer" indefinitely, but we wouldn't put it past VW to venture into that territory eventually, given how hot the off-road segment continues to be. 

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