Just a few days ago, we heard first rumors about the future of the Volkswagen Golf beyond the Golf MK8 and how it could morph into an electric vehicle for its next generation. Nothing is official at this point but we have the first spy photos of an upcoming compact EV from Wolfsburg that is currently testing looking a lot like the ID.3 but featuring a shorter wheelbase.
The situation with VW’s future electric products is a little unclear at the moment. The report from last week claimed the Golf EV will be previewed by an ID.2 concept but there are other rumors saying the ID.2 will instead be launched as a battery-powered Polo replacement. Whatever the case is, we know this new car will probably be the first to ride on Volkswagen’s MEB-Plus platform engineered for front-wheel-drive vehicles but also supporting dual-motor systems.
This prototype has short overhangs and very small rear doors. However, what you see in the gallery below are likely not the final proportions between the front and rear doors as the front ones look about twice as bigger. Nothing can be said about the exterior design since this is just a mule using the existing components of the ID.3. One thing we know for sure, however, is that the styling won’t resemble the ID. Life concept and a new concept is coming soon.
Word on the street is this new electric vehicle will be around 4,250 millimeters (167.3 inches) long, which will put it below the current combustion-powered Golf in terms of dimensions. Reports claim the hatch should weigh anywhere between 1,600 to 1,700 kilograms (3,527 to 3,748 pounds), and there are even rumors of a hot GTX version. A more rugged ID.2 X variant is also possible.
This vehicle is obviously in the very early stages of development and we will hopefully know more about Volkswagen’s plans soon. The conventional Golf was confirmed to receive a mid-cycle refresh next year, which should keep it on sale until 2027 or 2028. The new electric hatch, in turn, won’t arrive until 2025 or even 2026, which means the two will coexist for at least a year or two.
