Volkswagen rounds out new lineup of affordable EVs with ID. Cross concept

Everyone basically agrees: if you want people to transition from polluting gas guzzlers to electric cars, you have to make them more affordable. The luxury EVs, with their big battery packs and fine leather interiors, are all well and good, but if you really want to move the needle on EV adoption, we need more entry-level options. And so far, we’re lacking.

Volkswagen hears this, and is responding with a new lineup of small and mid-sized electric vehicles aimed squarely at the low end of the market. We’ve already seen the ID.2all — recently renamed ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI — and ID.EVERY1 concepts. Now we’re getting a fourth concept, the ID. Cross, which VW says will get a proper reveal next year. The concept’s name invokes the ID.4’s predecessor, the ID.Crozz, from 2017.

The ID. Cross introduces a new design language that VW says it “friendlier” and more approachable than its current lineup of EVs. For evidence of this, look no further than the front fascia with its narrow headlights and a slightly curved lightbar that looks like its smiling at you.

An electric counterpart to the popular VW T-Cross, the ID. Cross will be built on the automaker’s MEB Plus platform, which is an improvement over the current MEB that powers the ID.4 crossover SUV, the ID Buzz minivan, and a dozen other vehicles from Audi, Skoda, and others. This next-gen platform will have better batteries, engines, and software, VW promises — which, if you’ve ever encountered a current MEB vehicle’s software, will come as welcome news.

The concept’s front-wheel drive motor spits out 155kW of power, which is the equivalent of around 208 horsepower. It has a range of 420km (260 miles) based on the more generous WLTP cycle. And it can hit a top speed of 175 km/h (108 mph). And with a ball coupling, the ID. Cross can haul up to 75 kg (165 lbs), which VW says is enough to transport two e-bikes.

This new drive system will be built in Europe; if fact, VW makes no mention at all of the US market. Not surprising, considering the uneven success the automaker’s EVs have had in America. But still disappointing, considering how starved we are for fun, affordable EVs.

The ID. Cross will be similar in size to the T-Cross, which is smaller than the already fairly compact ID.4 SUV. The Cross will be 4,161 mm (164 in) long, 1,839 mm (72 in) wide, and 1,588 mm (63 in) tall — with a wheelbase of 2,601 mm (102 in). The concept is perched on 21-inch alloy wheels designed specifically for the ID. Cross.

That said, VW is trying to use the smallish size to its best advantage. With five people inside, the ID. Cross will have a storage capacity of 450 liters, plus 25 more liters in the frunk. The addition of a front truck is a nice surprise, considering all of VW’s current EVs have been sorely lacking in extra storage space.

The interior includes fabric-covered surfaces on the dash that matches the materials used on the seats. The steering wheel features — gasp! — real buttons to control driver assist functions and more, which is notable because VW got a lot of blowback for its lack of physical controls in its current crop of EVs. The front seats can be folded flat, flush with the rear seats when stowed, to create a completely flat surface that can be used for car camping.

VW says the production version of the ID. Cross will get a proper reveal next summer, after the launch of the ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI, based on the ID.2all concept. The ID.EVERY1 — which has yet to get its production rebranded name — will be out in 2027.

VW is betting that its newly “likeable” and affordable EVs will help lift its fortunes in the face of fierce competition from China, especially at the low end of the market. The German automaker, which also owns Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Skoda, Seat, and others, hasn’t had the same kind of EV success as its crosstown rival BMW, or even South Korean competitors like Hyundai and Kia. Its European sales have been a bright spot in an otherwise uneven portfolio, which may explain why the company isn’t making any commitments beyond the continent.