Volkswagen Polo will be revived as ID. Polo in all-electric overalls for 2026

Volkswagen is changing course on its naming scheme for electric vehicles, and the automaker will bring back popular nameplates from the past for its all-electric range. To this end, VW’s ID.2all electric city car concept will be launched in 2026 as the ID. Polo EV, while the ID. GTI concept will enter production as the ID. Polo GTI. Both models are currently in the near-production phase and will be showcased next week at the upcoming Munich auto show.

Electrification presents OEMs with a new dilemma: do they make new nameplates or reuse legacy badges, while running the risk of the new model not living up to the name? The Wolfsburg-based automaker has made up its mind to use established names for its electric portfolio. The ID. Polo will start things off, with more established names to eventually migrate to electric power as new models are introduced.

Volkswagen CEO, Thomas Schafer, says, “Our model names are firmly anchored in people’s minds. They stand for a strong brand and embody characteristics such as quality, timeless design and technologies for all. That’s why we’re moving our well-known names into the future. The ID. Polo is just the beginning."

Volkswagen ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI to share underpinnings:

The ID. Polo GTI will be the first all-electric hot hatch from the German brand and is expected to push slightly more than 220 bhp

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The ID. Polo GTI will be the first all-electric hot hatch from the German brand and is expected to push slightly more than 220 bhp

The electric Polo will be built on Volkswagen’s MEB Entry architecture, which also underpins the ID. Every1 concept and the upcoming ID. Cross, which is the electrified T-Cross. The platform will support two battery pack options, with the larger version expected to deliver a WLTP range of up to 450 km on a single charge.

Both the ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI will be limited to a front-wheel drive configuration, with a single electric motor at the front. While power figures have not been officially disclosed, the sportier GTI model is expected to make a little over 220 bhp.

Volkswagen ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI: Design and features

The electric Polos will be built on the MEB Entry platform, offering a FWD configuration with a single-electric motor at the front

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The electric Polos will be built on the MEB Entry platform, offering a FWD configuration with a single-electric motor at the front

The upcoming electric hatchbacks remain consistent with the concepts they were based on, with sleek LED headlamps and taillights. The ID. Polo GTI bears flared wheel arches with larger alloy wheels, a front diffuser, spoilers mounted on the hatch, and a chunky rear bumper. The interior will get a clean, futuristic look and is expected to be equipped with a 12.9-inch infotainment display and a 10.9-inch digital driver’s display alongside a range of physical controls.

While official details on pricing have not yet been disclosed, the Volkswagen ID. Polo is expected to cost right under €25,000 ( ₹25.74 lakh).

Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India.