2025 will be a year without any electric news from Volkswagen. The Germans will instead sell older models to drivers. Only next year will something happen. Maybe.
Volkswagen will not launch any new electric cars in 2025. This is a challenge for the German automaker, which is otherwise investing heavily in electrification. The last new electric car from Volkswagen was the ID.7 sedan, which came to the market in the third quarter of 2023.
Volkswagen is facing a difficult period selling older technology to new customers, German auto industry analyst Matthias Schmidt told Bloomberg .
– Over the next year or so, Volkswagen will be forced to sell old technology to new customers. It will be difficult.
Volkswagen is facing headwinds in several of its key markets, including the US, Europe and China. In Europe, reduced government support in countries such as Germany has dampened demand.
In China, a crucial market for the entire Volkswagen Group's long-term electric car ambitions, the car manufacturer is losing ground to local competitors.
Even premium cars like the Audi Q8 e-tron and Porsche Taycan are having a hard time getting traction in the Chinese market, which is increasingly dominated by cheaper electric cars from Chinese brands. Audi is experimenting with a new car brand for the same reason. Read more about it here .
To strengthen its position in the Chinese market, Volkswagen has entered into a partnership with Xpeng. The two companies are jointly developing an electrical and electronic architecture (E&E) that will form the basis for all Volkswagen electric vehicles produced in China.
The first models from the collaboration are expected to be launched in 2026 and will include two mid-range electric cars from Volkswagen. Including an SUV. The Volkswagen Group aims to increase annual sales in China from 2.93 million cars last year to 4 million cars by 2030.
Volkswagen emphasizes the importance of maintaining their broad model portfolio.
"Introducing new models is one solution. But it is equally important to maintain the breadth of our model programs.
"We have worked hard in recent years and have models with software and quality," says Stefan Voswinkel, a spokesman for Volkswagen.
In the United States, the Volkswagen Group is preparing to launch the Scout Terra and Traveler. However, these two models will only be sold directly to customers, bypassing traditional Volkswagen dealerships.
The decision has faced resistance from California dealers. The electric SUVs and pickup trucks are expected to appeal to American car buyers. But production won't start until 2027.
Volkswagen's next big launch in Europe is the long-awaited ID.2. This model is not expected to hit the market until 2026. And there is still uncertainty about the price. However, it is expected to be somewhere around 200,000 kroner.
