The enduring hatch continues to be going all-electric, however not quickly sufficient. Volkswagen is delaying the electrical Golf, an upcoming electrical SUV, and extra, on account of rising prices.
Why is Volkswagen delaying the Golf EV?
Volkswagen goes again to its roots with plans to revive a few of its top-selling nameplates, together with the Golf and T-Roc, as battery electrical automobiles.
Though we anticipated to see the electrical hatch arrive in 2028, it seems to be like it’s going to truly be nearer to the top of the last decade now.
Volkswagen is pushing again the launch date by about 9 months, in line with sources near the matter (by way of Bloomberg). The setback is reportedly on account of rising prices from the restructuring at its Wolfsburg plant in Germany, the place the Golf is produced.
Final yr, the European auto big agreed to shift manufacturing of the gas-powered Golf to Mexico, whereas the EV model was set to interchange it as quickly as 2027.
In keeping with the sources, Volkswagen is delaying the Golf EV on account of funds constraints related to the plant retooling.
VW is upgrading the power to arrange it for its next-generation EVs, together with the Golf. The electrical T-Roc can also be being pushed again, the sources claimed
Plans to maneuver the present Golf to Mexico have been delayed as the prices of recent tech and extra to construct the 2 new EV fashions have to be pushed to a unique spending interval.
The delay comes as tensions on the Wolfsburg plant are rising. In keeping with the sources, manufacturing strains are at a standstill on account of technical and gear failures. Output on the facility might fall by hundreds of models every week, the sources declare.
Volkswagen plans to launch a brand new household of extra reasonably priced, entry-level electrical automobiles to maintain tempo with BYD and different Chinese language EV makers which can be rapidly gaining market share.
At IAA Mobility 2025 final week, Volkswagen showcased the upcoming lineup, together with the ID.Polo and ID.Cross, an electrical sibling to the T-TRoc.
The ID.Polo is anticipated to debut within the first half of subsequent yr, beginning at round €25,000 ($30,000), adopted by the ID.Cross, and a smaller, entry-level EV based mostly on the ID.EVERY1 idea. It seems to be like we received’t see the electrical Golf till nearer to the top of the last decade now.
Volkswagen is assessing its funds from 2026 to 2030, which might embody an round €160 billion ($188 billion) funds to handle the problems.
Electrek’s Take
Though Volkswagen has massive plans to fend off the incoming wave of low-cost EVs from BYD and different automakers from China, when will we truly see them?
The ID.Polo is due out within the first half of 2026, marking the beginning of the subsequent era of Volkswagen. That’s if it launches on time.
Delaying the electrical Golf till 2029, on the earliest, will solely give BYD and different manufacturers extra time to seize market share. BYD is already beginning to acquire a foothold in Europe, however gross sales are anticipated to speed up because it expands its lineup and distribution community.
European automakers, together with VW, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, are promising that extra reasonably priced electrical automobiles are on the way in which, however they’d higher get going. In any other case, it could possibly be too little, too late.
