Update: ‘American connection,’ ‘Specifications,’ and ‘Price & Release date’ updated.
Volkswagen Group is expected to launch a VW ID. model as a replacement or alternative to each core VW brand model this decade. It began with the VW ID.3, a VW Golf alternative, in 2019, and in the coming years, we will see a VW ID.8 selling alongside the Atlas.
VW ID.8 announcement
On July 13, 2021, Volkswagen Group announced the New Auto strategy for its roadmap through 2030. In his speech at the event, Dr. Herbert Diess, former CEO, Volkswagen Group, confirmed a VW ID.8 model and revealed that this EV will belong to the class of the VW Atlas. Below is what he said:
All relevant global segments are already covered by specific EV offerings:
– Golf class: ID.3
– Tiguan: ID.4 / ID.5
– Atlas: ID.8
– Passat: ID.6
– T7: ID. BuzzDr. Herbert Diess, former CEO, Volkswagen Group (New Auto strategy)
At the 2021 Munich Motor Show (IAA 2021), Scott Keogh, who was then the President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said that the ID.6 wasn’t large enough for the U.S. market, as reported by Automotive News on January 3, 2022. He mentioned that Volkswagen plans to introduce an electric vehicle in the same segment as the Atlas in the U.S., but it would be a different model.
We know the (large crossover) segment quite well from the Atlas, and I can promise you, we will put (an EV) in that segment, that’s for sure, so we have plans. The ID.6 isn’t quite sized there.
Scott Keogh, former President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America (2021 Munich Motor Show)
On February 21, 2022, a report from Automobilwoche said that the VW ID.8 is “little more than a placeholder” for the pure-electric replacements planned for the Touareg and Atlas.
The new SUVs will be larger than the ID.4, something like the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport.
Scott Keogh, former President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America (Media conference call on March 21, 2022)
The VW ID.8 is expected to be shorter and more aerodynamic than the Atlas. Electric vehicle platforms, known for their efficiency in space utilization, enable a more cab-forward design due to fewer components needing to be housed under the hood and within the chassis. Additionally, the absence of a transmission tunnel should help create a more spacious, lounge-like interior in the ID.8.
In March 2024, Pablo Di Si, the President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, reaffirmed the launch of an electric SUV positioned above the ID.4 in the U.S. during a conversation with InsideEVs.com. The larger electric SUV “is in our plans,” Di Si said, without getting into the specifics of the model or its SOP/release date.
Specifications
In the medium term, Volkswagen plans to replace the MEB with an upgraded version called ‘MEB+.’ The company has confirmed that the MEB+ will lead to cars with longer ranges and shorter charging times. These models will pack up to 290 kW (389 hp) and take just about 20 minutes for a 10-80% DC fast-charging session.
The ID.8 might use the MEB+ instead of the SSP. As reported by Handelsblatt on August 13, 2024, Volkswagen Group has delayed the launch of the SSP platform until 2028. The first VW model on the SSP, the VW ID. Golf, is now expected to debut in fall 2029.
Production
The U.S. and Canada could get the ID.8 from the Chattanooga plant, which currently makes the gas-engined Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and the all-electric ID.4. Volkswagen plans to invest USD 7.1 billion in North America by 2027 to expand its vehicle line-up and boost its R&D and manufacturing capabilities in the region.
Volkswagen Group’s PowerCo SE will manufacture battery cells in St. Thomas (Ontario), Canada. The German conglomerate has said that production of electric motors and other EV components could take place in Mexico in the future. Volkswagen (the brand) has said that it will upgrade its factories in Puebla and Silao for the assembly of EVs and their components, by the middle of the decade. This significant investment and effort would be undermined if VW chose to import the ID.8 from outside North America.
Price & Release date
The Atlas starts at USD 37,995, and pricing the ID.8 close to this figure seems unlikely in the foreseeable future, even with high localization. We reckon the ID.8 will reach U.S. dealers in 2026, at a starting price of around USD 55,000 before subsidies.
The VW ID.8 will compete with the Kia EV9, the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 9, and two upcoming three-row Toyota SUVs.
Featured Image Source: Volkswagen Group
I got my Master’s in Business Management & Administration and have been an International Automotive News Editor since 2014. I’ve traveled to global motor shows and automotive events, driven various types of vehicles, and focused on hybrid and electric cars in the last 4 years.
