Volkswagen Golf On Track To Be Reborn As All-Electric Hatchback

The Golf GTI will also become an EV, thus retiring the current GTX performance moniker.

Volkswagen Golf GTE

Iulian Dnistran

By: Iulian Dnistran

Feb 16, 2023 at 4:36am ET

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The iconic Volkswagen Golf model name, which entered production back in 1974, is on track to be transformed into an all-electric model which will go on sale in 2025, according to a story published by the British publication Autocar, which quotes VW insiders.

Set to have a starting price of around $24,000 (22,500 Euros), the all-new, all-electric Golf will be a compact five-seater hatchback that will have a total length of “around 4,250 millimeters” (167 inches), slotting between the current-generation Polo and internal combustion-engined Golf.

However, because we’re talking about an EV, the upcoming zero-emissions Golf will offer “the sort of interior space of models typically one segment higher,” according to Autocar, with a short hood, flat floor, and more freedom for designers to move stuff around, compared to an ICE vehicle.

It’s worth noting that at this point, nothing is official yet, with Autocar saying that Volkswagen might reveal a concept car previewing the new Golf this summer. The British source also mentions that the initial name for this particular model was ID.2 and that the Golf nameplate was thrown around in meetings as a possible fit for the facelifted ID.3, but sources close to VW say this is not the case because “the true value of the Volkswagen Golf lies in a car the size of the ID.2.”

Previous reports also mentioned that the ID.2 would turn out to be a crossover EV, but this has apparently changed, with the German brand going back to the drawing board and reworking the design that was initially previewed by the ID. Life concept back in 2021.

Gallery: Volkswagen ID. LIFE Concept

Volkswagen ID. LIFE Concept

Set to become the first model based on the updated MEB-Plus platform, the new electric Golf will allegedly feature new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) prismatic battery cells, charging speeds of up to 200 kilowatts, and a front-mounted electric motor as standard, with all-wheel drive possible via a dual-motor setup.

As per Autocar, the Wolfsburg carmaker is also planning a sporty all-electric Golf GTI that should offer up to 250 horsepower and a 0-60 sprint in less than 7 seconds. With the GTI variant entering the all-electric realm, the GTX nameplate currently used on the ID.4 and ID.5 will eventually be retired, with one senior source saying that “the GTX is dead.”

VW insiders say that the shift in development came after a “less than lukewarm” reception of the ID. Life, which reportedly also led to Andreas Mindt replacing Jozef Kaban as the brand’s chief designer.

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It’s a lot to take in, especially for die-hard GTI fans across the world, but with Volkswagen pledging to go full-electric from 2033, it was just a matter of time until the brand’s most well-known models got the EV treatment.

What’s your take on this? Let us know in the comments below.

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Source: Autocar

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