cars news 10: Volkswagen I.D. Debuts as Concept in Paris, Headed to Market in 2020

Volkswagen has revealed a concept electric car that it hopes will hit the market by the end of the decade. The Volkswagen I.D. makes its first appearance at the Paris Motor Show this week, showing off a new electric drive system and autonomous features.

Although VW hasn’t yet released all the details, we do know the compact car offers an electric motor that produces around 168 hp. The automaker says the I.D. has a range between 400 and 600 kilometers (249-373 miles) and will launch parallel to a new Golf in 2020.

The I.D. will be the first product to come out of Volkswagen’s new commitment toward electric vehicles. As we previously reported, VW plans to launch more than 30 battery electric cars by 2025. The I.D. is based on the flexible new MEB toolkit, which should also be able to accommodate larger vehicles the size of the BUDD-e concept van that debuted earlier this year as a preview to the automaker’s EV efforts.

After the I.D. comes to market, VW says it will add a fully automated driving mode to the vehicle. In this mode, which arrives in 2025, the steering wheel retracts into the dashboard providing more room inside the already spacious cabin. The I.D. will also be capable of receiving packages if its owner isn’t home, a new feature that reminds us a bit of the in-car delivery service we’ve seen from Volvo.

Stay tuned for more information on the Volkswagen I.D. as the Paris Motor Show unfolds.

Source: Volkswagen