Over at the Martorell factory in Spain, the first production models of the Volkswagen ID. Polo and the Cupra Raval have just come off the assembly line. This marks a big deal for the Volkswagen Group because their Electric Urban Car Family is aimed at bringing smaller electric cars to more people worldwide.
VW is making this move by sharing manufacturing infrastructure and engineering stuff, which should help them take on cheaper car competitors from other parts of the world. In Europe, affordable hatchbacks really drive the market – they always have.
Now, with the new VW ID. Polo, the brand is moving a well-known gas car into the electric world. At the same time, the Cupra Raval comes with a spiffed-up design meant to appeal to young drivers searching for cool-looking small EVs. So, these new models are not only about electric vehicles becoming more common but also keeping things fresh and interesting for a whole new group of buyers.
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Both EVs aim for a super competitive price range. The entry-level Volkswagen ID. Polo starts at €24,995, while the bolder-looking Cupra Raval begins at €26,000. Prices that are lower than what you’d find in older models of EVs from the VW Group – they clearly want to show how much they’ve worked on cutting down costs on batteries and development.
These cars are built on the same MEB+ platform – an easy-to-modify design for front-wheel-drive city rides. Using one setup for different brands means less industrial headaches for the company and saved about €600 million in dev costs. Neat thing is, even with the same inner parts, each car keeps its own brand style thanks to unique exteriors.
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The new EVs really concentrate on maximizing the space inside while staying small on the outside. Both are roughly four meters long, great for zooming around in cities, yet comfy like bigger cars usually are. The engineers put a lot of effort into the placement of the electric parts, which helped them keep the cabin floor flat. This setup gives folks more legroom and extra room for stashing stuff.
When it comes to batteries, there’s some variety. The Volkswagen ID. Polo has two options: a base 37 kWh LFP battery and a beefier 52 kWh NMC one. With that bigger battery, the Polo can go up to 454 km on a single charge according to WLTP tests. Meanwhile, the Cupra Raval is hitting the market with three different setups, yet still offers a comparable driving distance.
