Volkswagen is working on being able to offer a modern small electric car for around 20,000 euros. Dacia has already achieved this, and other brands such as Citroën are also already undercutting the German manufacturer, in some cases significantly. To push the price down, VW could focus on a reduced interior.
VW recently launched its ID.3 compact electric car for 29,760 euros – but only temporarily. In the middle of the decade, fully electric cars from the core brand as well as Cupra and Skoda are to be launched permanently for around €25,000 before an electric car for €20,000 or less is introduced. According to Der Spiegel, the Group is considering doing away with the infotainment screen that is mandatory in modern cars so that the price limit of 20,000 euros is not exceeded.
‘Bring your own device’ is the internal name given to the idea. After all, the driver’s smartphone can also play music or plan the route. This has already been implemented in the now discontinued e-car version of the up! subcompact. Citroën is also following this path with the ë-C3, which was initially launched this year for 23,300 euros and is expected to be available from under 20,000 euros in 2025 with a smaller battery and therefore less range.
VW’s €20,000 electric car is set to celebrate its world premiere in 2027. A first teaser image was recently published. The Core brand group will put affordable electric vehicles ‘from Europe, for Europe’ on the road, the company announced in June. The Group’s Core brand group includes VW, Škoda, Sest/Cupra and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. There is also already a preview of Škoda’s €20,000 electric car.
The reportedly advanced negotiations with Renault about a co-operation for small fully electric cars have now been cancelled. The Volkswagen Group is therefore realising its 20,000-euro electric cars on its own.
WANKMI
I mean there’s no inherent reason why EVs needs a big screen. It just looks cool. There’s a market out there for cars that are just cars – but with electric motors – without all the bells and whistles.
FMSV0
Great. No reason to pay for what you don’t want/need
sancho_sk
This is not new step for VW. They already have the new-small-family model (Skoda citiGo, VW Up, Seat Mii) that had the same option – instead of infotainment, the car had BT and you had an app that displayed and controlled the important aspects.
No problem on my end – lots of cars even now have better results from Android Auto/iPhone integration than you get from integrated infotainment system. So at least as Skoda Enyaq user, I would definitely welcome the option 😀
and-its-true
I don’t get it. Is the screen really that expensive? You can get an Android tablet for like $50 that is probably equivalent to the cheap screens they put in cars.
I feel like they should at least include a small screen that only does CarPlay/Android Auto. It would cost nothing.
Complete_Mongoose393
10 inch screen is like sub 100 euros when bought in bulk, what is this retarded reasoning
ChangeAndAdapt
most smartphones have a screen big enough for navigation and music. they also have insane processing power. It makes sense.
Mr-Zappy
So it’s not coming with a backup camera?
capkas
VW isn’t just ditching its infotainment screen. They are also ditching the software and hardware that supports it. A good well rounded software that is well integrated with the hardware is not cheap nor easy. You can get the best screen with the highest resolution but if you have the typical late 90s style car screen, it’s a waste. And Volkswagen or the legacy car manufacturers in general aren’t that good at developing them.
Thumper-Comet
Works for me. Just give me a mount for my iPad or iPhone, wireless CarPlay, and let me do my music and sat nave through it.
wireless1980
That’s funny. A big screen is cheaper than lots of buttons.
MrHighVoltage
Those revolutionary ideas… just wow… I mean, it’s not like we have seen them in cars, especially from the VW group? Especially not in the sub-20k entry level EV VW e-Up (Seat mii electric, Skoda e-Citigo), that is very innovative.
12 Comments
Translation:
Volkswagen is working on being able to offer a modern small electric car for around 20,000 euros. Dacia has already achieved this, and other brands such as Citroën are also already undercutting the German manufacturer, in some cases significantly. To push the price down, VW could focus on a reduced interior.
VW recently launched its ID.3 compact electric car for 29,760 euros – but only temporarily. In the middle of the decade, fully electric cars from the core brand as well as Cupra and Skoda are to be launched permanently for around €25,000 before an electric car for €20,000 or less is introduced. According to Der Spiegel, the Group is considering doing away with the infotainment screen that is mandatory in modern cars so that the price limit of 20,000 euros is not exceeded.
‘Bring your own device’ is the internal name given to the idea. After all, the driver’s smartphone can also play music or plan the route. This has already been implemented in the now discontinued e-car version of the up! subcompact. Citroën is also following this path with the ë-C3, which was initially launched this year for 23,300 euros and is expected to be available from under 20,000 euros in 2025 with a smaller battery and therefore less range.
VW’s €20,000 electric car is set to celebrate its world premiere in 2027. A first teaser image was recently published. The Core brand group will put affordable electric vehicles ‘from Europe, for Europe’ on the road, the company announced in June. The Group’s Core brand group includes VW, Škoda, Sest/Cupra and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. There is also already a preview of Škoda’s €20,000 electric car.
The reportedly advanced negotiations with Renault about a co-operation for small fully electric cars have now been cancelled. The Volkswagen Group is therefore realising its 20,000-euro electric cars on its own.
I mean there’s no inherent reason why EVs needs a big screen. It just looks cool. There’s a market out there for cars that are just cars – but with electric motors – without all the bells and whistles.
Great. No reason to pay for what you don’t want/need
This is not new step for VW. They already have the new-small-family model (Skoda citiGo, VW Up, Seat Mii) that had the same option – instead of infotainment, the car had BT and you had an app that displayed and controlled the important aspects.
No problem on my end – lots of cars even now have better results from Android Auto/iPhone integration than you get from integrated infotainment system. So at least as Skoda Enyaq user, I would definitely welcome the option 😀
I don’t get it. Is the screen really that expensive? You can get an Android tablet for like $50 that is probably equivalent to the cheap screens they put in cars.
I feel like they should at least include a small screen that only does CarPlay/Android Auto. It would cost nothing.
10 inch screen is like sub 100 euros when bought in bulk, what is this retarded reasoning
most smartphones have a screen big enough for navigation and music. they also have insane processing power. It makes sense.
So it’s not coming with a backup camera?
VW isn’t just ditching its infotainment screen. They are also ditching the software and hardware that supports it. A good well rounded software that is well integrated with the hardware is not cheap nor easy. You can get the best screen with the highest resolution but if you have the typical late 90s style car screen, it’s a waste. And Volkswagen or the legacy car manufacturers in general aren’t that good at developing them.
Works for me. Just give me a mount for my iPad or iPhone, wireless CarPlay, and let me do my music and sat nave through it.
That’s funny. A big screen is cheaper than lots of buttons.
Those revolutionary ideas… just wow… I mean, it’s not like we have seen them in cars, especially from the VW group? Especially not in the sub-20k entry level EV VW e-Up (Seat mii electric, Skoda e-Citigo), that is very innovative.