These are VW's electric cars for 2024

VW's all-electric models form the so-called ID family. In the last year and a half, VW has launched three IDs with new electrical technology and the family is growing: the electric Bulli followed at the end of 2022.

VW e-Up

VW's ID is still a patchwork family. With the e-Up, there is still an adopted child in the current electric range of Europe's largest carmaker, so to speak. In contrast to the ID models, the Up was not developed as a pure electric car, but is still based on a model with a combustion engine. But that doesn't detract from the e-Up. On the contrary! It is almost impossible to drive an electric car more cheaply. Starting at 28,400 francs, the e-Up is one of the cheapest electric cars in Switzerland and marks the entry into VW's electric car world. With a length of 3.60 meters, it is small and handy. A typical city runabout. Here, in contrast to the normal Up, it offers the advantage that it is not slowed down by gear changes. The 83 hp (61 kW) e-Up glides comfortably through any city traffic, no matter how stagnant. At first glance, the range of 225 kilometers seems modest, but for use in the city and as a second car, this is more than enough. Apart from that, the entry-level electric car has also been available since 2013, and it was only in 2020 that VW increased the battery from 18.7 to 32.2 kWh. This means that the e-Up is now not only inexpensive and emission-free, but also contemporary again as an e-car.

• Ideal size for the city
• Practical second car
• Wide-opening back doors
• Simple, intuitive operation
• Very inexpensive for e-cars

VW ID.3

The ID.3 is to be nothing less than the next Golf or Beetle. The compact electric car kicked off and founded the ID family in autumn 2020. It is not only intended to build on the sales successes of its predecessors, but also to take away the threshold fear of electromobility. And the 4.36-metre-long ID.3 does that confidently. It shows its electric genes with a design that is almost daring by VW standards, but without overdoing it like early electric cars. Otherwise, it offers the simplicity that the Beetle and Golf already led to success. Anyone can get in and drive off without worrying too much, neither about technical gimmicks nor about the range. With 417 kilometres, it is also suitable as a first car. The VW ID.3 controls the strength of the energy recovery during braking itself. Sensors and GPS data "know" whether a car is driving ahead and where a place begins. So he brakes himself, we just have to steer. Incidentally, the 204 hp (150 kW) electric motor drives the rear axle as it once did in the Beetle. In order to follow in its footsteps or those of the Golf, an inexpensive entry-level version is still missing. This is still to come, and even 42,800 francs is a fair price for what is on offer.

• Adjusts recuperation itself
• Classic compact car
• Enough range for a first car
• Practical head-up display
• Rear-wheel drive provides dynamics

VW ID.4

What would an electric family be without an SUV these days? Incomplete! Today, an SUV simply belongs in every portfolio. And so the most important family member, the ID.4, is a crossover. If the ID.3 is the electric Golf, this makes the ID.4 an electric Tiguan. Accordingly, the 4.58-metre-long SUV scores with plenty of space, making it VW's first real family electric car. Even adults sit comfortably in the rear and the luggage compartment is also suitable for family holidays with a load volume of 543 to 1,575 litres. Thanks to a range of 476 to 513 kilometres and a nimble charging power of 135 kW, the whole of Europe is open to this. This is because the 82 kWh battery on the fast charger can be fully charged to 80 percent within 38 minutes. Like the ID.3, the ID.4 is available with rear-wheel drive or, if desired, with all-wheel drive. Then it will become the first electric GTI as the 299 hp (220 kW) GTX. It whizzes to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds and puts a smile on the driver's face – but always remains on the comfortable side, typical of family electric cars, also thanks to the adjustable suspension. In addition, the ID.4 in both weaker rear-wheel drive versions also offers the brisk acceleration and linear torque that only electric cars have.

• The true family electric car from VW
• Very spacious for passengers and cargo
• Smooth and quiet driving comfort
• Sporty GTX version available
• Choice between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive

VW ID.5

At first glance, the ID.5 seems to be just the coupé version of the ID.4. But there is more to the sleek crossover with a sloping roofline than you would suspect at first glance. The ID.5 is 4.60 metres long, two centimetres longer than its brother ID.4. For example, the basic load volume in the coupé is even slightly larger than its classic brother at 549 litres. With the rear seats folded down, the ID.5 then charges a little less at 1,561 litres. However, the sleek design also makes the youngest member of the ID family more streamlined and this has a positive effect on the range. This means that the ID.5 can easily get ahead despite the same drives and the same battery. It can cover between 472 and 527 kilometres on a single battery charge. After that, he has to go to the fast charger for 36 minutes to charge the 82 kWh battery to 80 percent. In the cockpit, the current VW multimedia system with a twelve-inch touchscreen entertains us. The digital instruments are a bit small. The head-up display is worthwhile here, which also projects directional arrows onto the road via augmented reality when navigation is activated. This makes the sleek ID.5 an individualist of the ID family without losing its suitability for everyday use.

• No compromises on load volume
• More range thanks to sleek shape
• Very independent design
• Head-up-Display mit holografischem Navi
• Heck- und Allradantrieb stehen zur Wahl

VW ID.Buzz

Volkswagen's electric platform can be compact and suitable for large families: With the ID.Buzz finally comes the long-awaited reincarnation of the tiny original Bulli with modern technology. For more than ten years, VW has been giving Bulli fans a run for their money and has been raising expectations since the presentation of the Microbus concept car in 2011. Now, at the end of the year, the electric ID.Buzz with the Jöh factor of its ancestor will roll in. Technically, it is based on the ID.3 and Co., but in terms of space and variability in the interior, it naturally trumps big. However, with a base price of 69,910 francs, it also occupies the position of the top model in VW's electric division in terms of price. But that's far from the end: Further versions with different battery capacities and also one with a longer wheelbase are planned. And in a few years, a camper version will also follow as the ID.Buzz California.

• More compact dimensions than the normal VW bus
• Over two cubic metres of loading volume
• Retro like the original Bulli, modern like all ID models
• Plump assistance package
• Variable interior with bed