Volkswagen to launch budget ‘China-killer’ EV to compete in booming electric market overseas – ‘quality’ at low price
VOLKSWAGEN is launching a budget "China-killer" EV to compete in the booming electric market overseas.
The "quality" electric vehicle will cost just £16,700 and go into production from 2027.
Images of ID.1 were shared by the company on Thursday, as it prepares to launch its budget EV it believes will compete with carmaker giants in China.
China has long been leader in the EV market, which some experts suggest is down to car manufacturers working faster to produce affordable cars.
“Chinese brands are super competitive. For example, you can already pick up a new MG5 today for under £20,000 by shopping around.
"Where will they be in three years’ time? VW really has its work cut out," a car expert told .
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One such car manufacturer is BYD, which beat Tesla in UK sales last month.
But according to Quentin Wilson, whose company Fair Charge is campaigning for the country's cheap transfer to EVs, VW's newest model will be a "possible China EV killer".
VW CEO Thomas Schäfer said the new model is “an affordable, high-quality, profitable electric Volkswagen from Europe, for Europe”.
Volkswagen is already well positioned in the field of all-electric battery electric vehicles (BEV), he added.
Since the launch of the ID. product family in 2019, the brand has sold more than 1.35 million ID. vehicles throughout the world, including about 500,000 ID.3.
Last year, the company sold 383,100 all-electric vehicles.
This follows the carmaker's earlier plans to axe 35,000 jobs by 2023, following a slow in demand for EVs in Europe.
The number of cars sold across Europe fell a whopping three percent, down to 3million during 2024, according to reports.
Experts in the industry put this decline down to cost, adding cheaper cars will likely see a massive uptick in purchases.
Threats to shut some of the company's factories in Germany ensued, prompting 100,000 VW workers to walk out in protest.
This comes as defence chiefs were ordered to stop talking in electric cars over fears their Chinese makers will eavesdrop.
In an exclusive report yesterday, The Sun detailed growing fears that inbuilt microphones can record and transmit conversations, risking national security.
The MoD has leased hundreds of Chinese electric vehicles to try to meet Net Zero targets.
And they have ordered thousands more under plans to clean up its fleet of 12,000 civilian vehicles within two years.
Chinese car brand to rival Tesla with more affordable EV hitting UK in weeks – it even slows after reading road signs
A NEW Chinese car brand that could rival Tesla will begin rolling out affordable EVs in the UK in a matter of weeks.
The tech-focused vehicle can automatically slow down when passing a sign that suggests the speed limit on the road has changed.
Solihull's International Motors has plans to begin importing Xpeng's new G6 car which could undercut the Tesla Model Y.
Chinese firm Xpeng's new motor has been designed by the world-renowned JuanMa Lopez who was responsible for leading on the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder.
The all-electric SUV has been dubbed a "direct alternative to Elon Musk's world-beating family crossover" by .
Despite the market becoming saturated with various EVs in recent years, the G6 looks to be a contender against the Tesla model for a fraction of the price.
Many of the cars are MGs from China’s state-owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.
The Sun understands a security notice was issued across the department banning sensitive conversations in electric cars.
A source said: “It’s crazy. A lot of these electric cars are used by senior officers, who know a lot of secrets.
"They work on sensitive missions.
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“It’s normal to discuss work when they’re driving, especially if everyone in the car is cleared to the same level or working on the same project.
“They aren’t used to thinking the car might be listening — especially if the car has been issued by the UK MoD.”