VW I.D. concept at the 2016 Paris Motor Show

The VW I.D. is a first in a "completely new generation" of electric vehicles from the German carmaker, featuring an all-electric powertrain (zero emission), with a market launch announced for 2020.

The I.D., and future all-electric cars from the brand, will be based on a new vehicle architecture called Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB) which was specially and exclusively developed for all-electric vehicles, Dr Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management Volkswagen Brand, announced.

The I.D. will be positioned as a compact electric car and is powered by a 125 kW/170 PS electric motor offering a range of up to 600 kilometres and a price on par with today's Golf with comparable power, VW said. It is "somewhat shorter than a Golf", but "offers the generous space of a Passat" thanks to a new drive concept architecture with an electric motor on the rear axle and a high-voltage battery in the vehicle floor, which enables more space and flexibility.

The VW I.D. is also the first VW concept to feature full autonomous driving capability. VW announced that the fully automated "I.D. Pilot" driving mode will start arriving in 2025. At present, the Piloted driving mode is activated by touching the VW logo on the steering wheel, which then disappears into the instrument panel and gives the driver an "entirely new feeling of space".