Volkswagen reveals ID. Life Concept

Volkswagen will be launching a compact fully electric model in 2025, which is a small car with simplistic design cues and families in mind. Previewed by the ID. Life concept, it is expected to wear the ID.1 or ID.2 moniker when production gets underway at SEAT and Cupra’s Martorell plant, the factory that has been chosen to produce all of the group’s compact electric vehicles.

The five-door car is based on a smaller variant of Volkswagen’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) that has been developed specifically for its electric car portfolio, but this is the first time a vehicle based on the MEB has had front-wheel drive. The larger ID.3 and ID.4 both sit on a rear-wheel drive chassis.

With its 172 kW (231bhp) electric motor, the ID.Life accelerates from 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds, while its 57kWh high-voltage battery enables a range of just under 250 miles (WLTP). The car was shown in concept form at the IAA International motor Show in Munich, Germany and the design of the ID.Life is strikingly clear, pared down and designed to be high-quality. Decorative elements and add-on parts are dispensed with, as is any complex mix of materials. A removable roof made of air chamber textile lends an open-air feeling to the car, while also reducing the vehicle’s weight.

Cameras and a display replace both the exterior and interior mirrors, while essential driving functions are controlled via a touch panel on the hexagonal, yoke-style steering wheel. The ID.Life can even be converted into a cinema or gaming lounge in no time at all, as it comes with a video game console and projector, as well as a projection screen that extends from the dashboard panel when required.

The seating design, too, is extremely flexible, in keeping with the idea of the car as a companion for all situations and lifestyles. For instance, the front seat bench can be completely folded down, as can the rear seat bench. This enables a range of different possibilities, from cinema seating, to a bed measuring around two metres in length, to a cargo version that maximises the carrying capacity of the ID.Life.