Volkswagen is embarking on its journey to the future at the Paris Motor Show with the world premiere of the visionary I.D., a highly automated electric car that will be able to cover a distance of 249 to 373 miles on a single battery charge.
The I.D. is Volkswagen’s first compact concept car based on the new MEB vehicle architecture. MEB stands for Modularer Elektrifizierungsbaukasten (“Modular Electric Drive kit”) and it was conceived for pure electric vehicles. The ground-breaking MEB thus corresponds with the key mobility requirements of the future. The concept behind the I.D. guarantees the best possible ride comfort, optimum use of space, maximum safety and ground-breaking sustainability, thus redefining the parameters of drive, space and comfort”.The production version of the I.D. is due to be launched in 2020.
«Before we first put pen to paper for the I.D. project, we debated the topic of ‘Mobility in the future’ at length, says Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design, Volkswagen Brand. It is clear that the car of the future, and thus the mobile space, will be a place of communication more than ever before. The Open Space in the I.D. is just such a place.The electric powertrain gives our designers far greater freedom. We have shrunk the cooling grilles to a minimum, shifted the axles far outwards and created breathtaking proportions, as demonstrated by the I.D. —an icon of the future».
Volkswagen has made electric mobility and fully automated driving conspicuous with its innovative exterior design language and with the interior, too: the conventional driving environment has been transformed into the interactive center of a mobile lounge, or a supremely versatile Open Space. The spaciousness of this area and the intuitive, clear functionality allow you to experience mobility in a completely new way.
The I.D. is the first vehicle to showcase Volkswagen’s iconic new design language for compact electric vehicles. The exterior and interior design preview the year 2020 because while the vehicle is currently a concept, the I.D. is expected to be on our roads within the next four years, and its fully automated driving capability gives us a glimpse of the year 2025.
An electric car doesn’t need large cooling intakes, which changes everything when it comes to front-end design. Interactive LED lights are framed by a C-shaped light signature, and react to other road users. The large, sculpted bumpers and “Anodized Blue” diffusers also give the I.D. a unique appearance. The transparent illuminated Volkswagen logo in the front section emphasizes the I.D.’s quality.
From the side, the design is characterized by precision. The voluptuous, flowing surfaces of the side profile merge elegantly into a single, homogeneous surface below the character line. The new design DNA corresponds with innovative technical solutions, such as a lack of B pillars. The front and rear doors form a protective unit when closed. The rear doors swivel backwards, showcasing the Open Space. Door mirrors have been replaced by cameras, which are integrated in the front fenders.
At the sides, the large rear window is framed by vertical aerodynamic fences and at the base by the strikingly narrow horizontal LED taillights. The I.D.’s bumper is a prime example of the avant-garde design of Volkswagen’s future electric cars, which looks as if it were made out of a single piece of aluminum or a translucent block of ice. Right at the bottom of the car’s rear section is a neat and tidy blue diffuser, mirrored by the narrow strip of LED taillights that wrap around to the flanks and the illuminated Volkswagen logo between them.
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