Volkswagen just announced a new naming strategy for its electric vehicles, just ahead of the IAA Mobility show. This move signals Volkswagen’s plan to reuse some of its well-known model names for its electric lineup.
The first model to be launched will be the ID. Polo from 2026. The concept car is known as the ID. 2all.
Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, Head of the Brand Group Core and member of the Group Board of Management: “Our model names are firmly anchored in people’s minds. They stand for a strong brand and embody characteristics such as quality, timeless design and technologies for all. That’s why we’re moving our well-known names into the future. The ID. Polo is just the beginning.”
Volkswagen will transfer more established names to the electric portfolio with each new model generation. At the same time, all vehicles with conventional drives will continue to run under their previous names. With this strategy, Volkswagen is bringing together the electric and combustion engine worlds, helping customers navigate the brand’s product range more easily in the future.
The designation ID. stands for advanced technologies and electric mobility. The Polo has always stood for quality, safety and democratisation of innovations. The new ID. Polo combines these characteristics and will be launched with its new name in the Polo’s 50th anniversary year as the first model of this strategy.
Martin Sander, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales: “Our cars often accompany people for many years – they shape memories and stages of life. A model like the Polo shows just how powerful a name can be: it stands for reliability, personality and history. That’s precisely why we are again giving our ID. models names that arouse emotions and are anchored in people’s everyday lives. Electric mobility should not only be progressive, but also accessible and personal.”
The second future ID. model for the small car segment will evoke special emotions.
Martin Sander: “We are bringing one of our strongest brands, the GTI, into the electric world. Also launching in 2026, the ID. GTI Concept model will go into production as the ID. Polo GTI. It will offer outstanding dynamics and plenty of driving pleasure.”
The still-camouflaged ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI will make their first public appearance worldwide at the IAA MOBILITY in Munich (8 to 14 September). The day before, on 7 September, Volkswagen will unveil the concept vehicle for an electric compact SUV, the new ID. CROSS Concept, in a world premiere. The production version of this concept vehicle – the ID. Cross – will be launched at the end of 2026 as the electric counterpart to the T-Cross.
For Volkswagen, the premiere of the smaller and more compact vehicles in its electric family marks the start of a new era – it will make electric driving more affordable than ever, thanks to new models such as the ID. Polo and ID. Cross.
Volkswagen introduced the naming of the ID. family in 2018. It designates the stand-alone all-electric product range in the Volkswagen brand portfolio. The first model to be launched was the ID.3. Further models followed, which are also differentiated by model numbers depending on the vehicle segment. The largest model is the ID.7, available as a saloon and estate.
