Volkswagen’s electric renaissance is underway, with the ID hatch, Buzz people mover and ID Crozz crossover all approved for production. Now, the German giant is considering adding some pep to the range.
Jost Capito, head of VW’s R division, told Autocar UK that the brand has “an idea [for an electric R], based on what’s going on in the racing and production side but we haven’t defined a date yet.”
He added that the specifics of a production all-electric R model would be difficult to confirm due to how fast EV technology is evolving. Packaging issues are “more complex” compared with traditional performance engines, due to the space required for motors, batteries and the battery technology itself.
The ID hatch is due for a global launch in 2020, and makes the most sense to be given the R treatment out of the current range. However, it could also be a different body style entirely, as it “depends on how we define performance vehicles”.
Another candidate could be the Crozz, as it will feature two motors by default and, being a crossover, will likely have more space to fit larger batteries.