Volkswagen unveils ID concept in Paris – an electric, driverless answer to Dieselgate

At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, two manufacturers finally unveiled their plans for the electric car markets: Mercedes gave us the Generation EQ, a symbolic beginning of a new all-electric range, and on the other side of the arena, Volkswagen gave us the ID. The forerunner of a new range of all-electric cars, this new concept EV could be the ultimate way for the Volkswagen Group to bounce back from Dieselgate.

Although it looks like something from Total Recall, the ID packs in technology that will surely make it into future VW vehicles. Volkswagen says the car will have a 125kW motor and a 400-600km range, but as with the Mercedes Generation EQ concept, the powertrain it uses is scalable, so can be adapted for use with larger or smaller electric vehicles in the future.

Volkswagen wants to sell a million electric cars a year by 2025, and the programme is starting in just four years’ time: the first all-electric car to be released will be a Golf-sized hatchback, and it’s coming in 2020.

Alongside its electric powertrain, the ID comes with everything you’d expect from a concept car in 2016. Volkswagen envisages a fully autonomous driving mode that retracts the steering wheel, and it also features Home-Net, so you’ll be able to control aspects of your smart home from your car.

Interestingly, VW says the car can also act as a place for deliveries, using the boot of the car like a mailbox. IDs would make their positions available to parcel services and give delivery drivers temporary access to the boot. After that, owners would get a text message or notification letting them know their package has been delivered.

We’re used to seeing electric, autonomous cars like the Volkswagen ID at every motor show, but this year something’s different. Instead of a crazy-looking concept car backed up by wishful stats, this year Mercedes and Volkswagen have brought concept cars backed up with a real commitment to electric vehicles. As with the Mercedes Generation EQ, the Volkswagen ID concept isn’t just another design exercise – it’s a sign that the car industry’s biggest players are ready to invade the entire electric car market, fighting everything from the mighty Tesla Model S to the best-selling Nissan Leaf.