Volkswagen Group brands Skoda, Cupra and Volkswagen will be launching an ultra-compact electric vehicle each in 2025 on a smaller version of the group’s MEB electric vehicle platform, and all three will be made on a production line in Spain, the manufacturer group has revealed in a Twitter post.
These cars will be built upon a version of the platform named MEB Entry, which means the use of a platform that is largely based on that which underpins current fully electric models such as the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4.
Among these will be the Volkswagen ID. Life, which was first shown in concept form last September wearing retro design cues and a relatively upright overall shape, though this has been since been revised to a more sweeping silhouette more akin to those of the ID.3 and ID.4, and by extension, the SSP-based Trinity.
These upcoming MEB Entry-based models will essentially replace the Volkswagen e-Up, Skoda Citigo-e iV and the Seat Mii Electric urban electric vehicles, Autocar wrote.
News of the upcoming models emerged as the group announced its investment of 10 billion euros (RM46 billion) in electrification efforts in Spain, where a battery gigafactory in Sagunto will facilitate the production of electric vehicles at the group’s manufacturing plants in Martorell and Pamplona.
This gigafactory is one of three announced by the carmaker at its New Auto strategy presentation last July, the other two being Skellefteå, Sweden and Salzgitter, Germany. The latest investment in Spain is the largest industrial investment ever made in the country, where it will be staffed by more than 3,000 people by 2030 and reach an annual production capacity of 40 GWh, said Volkswagen.
Sneak peek!????These are the first sketches of our smaller e-models from #Skoda, #Cupra & #VW, which will be built in #Spain from 2025. These entry level electric vehicles make the access to #eMobility easier & push the country's future of mobility – for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/LX49mJPYB5
— Volkswagen Group (@VWGroup) May 5, 2022
The 10 billion euro investment will be mobilised “in the event of a position resolution” of the PERTE VEC, the Spanish acronym for the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation programme for the Electric and Connected Vehicle, the Volkswagen Group said in its statement.
“The Volkswagen Group, Seat and the Spanish Government share a vision: to make Spain a European hub for electric mobility. We are ready to initiate this transformation. The PERTE serves as a model for the whole of Spain on how traditional industrial structures can be transformed,” Diess said.
“We will build the battery Gigafactory with an investment of more than 3 billion euros, but the PERTE funds are essential if we are to realise our ambition of turning Spain into a European hub for electric vehicles,” said Volkswagen Group board member and Seat CTO Thomas Schmall.
GALLERY: 2021 Volkswagen ID. Life concept
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