It's typical of Volkswagen to exhibit its motor show wares the evening before the expo opens, and Paris 2016 is no different. It also goes to show how the motoring landscape is changing that the big draw is a fully electric C-segment car that will eventually be autonomous. The future is coming...
Oh yes, definitely some Golf here
The I.D. is the first car to be built on Volkswagen's 'MEB' architecture, a 'toolkit' platform much like the MQB that underpins so many cars but for electric models. 'Modular' is the key in that acronym (it essentially translates as 'Modular Electric Drive Kit') as it makes the architecture scalable, much in the same way that MQB can form the basis of both Audi Q2 and Skoda Superb. The I.D. is just the start!
VW in fact states that this car is the first in a "completely new fleet of highly innovative electric vehicles"; from the off the I.D. comes with a 125kW (167hp) electric motor and a projected range of between 248 and 372 miles (400-600km) on a single charge.
Though it can't be seen yet, Volkswagen says the interior of the I.D. offers an "entirely new spatial experience". It's built in anticipation of an autonomous mode also (due in 2025), with a steering wheel that retracts in fully automated mode.
That's still a little way off though. What isn't, however, is the arrival of the I.D. VW says it will be launched in 2020, running in parallel with the Golf range. What to make of VW's electric future? Over to you, and expect many more details from the Paris show floor soon!