Volkswagen Plans For Three-Row Electric SUV—Will It Beat GM To The Punch?
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After VW’s disastrous diesel scandal in 2015, which the automaker still hasn’t entirely put in its rearview mirror after over three years, the automaker has gone all-in on electric vehicles. It’s shown a handful of ID electric vehicles and now, it could beat GM to the electric SUV punch with a three-row electric vehicle.
Autocar reported Monday that Volkswagen will show off an ID Lounge concept at the Shanghai Motor Show next April. The concept is said to ride on the ID Buzz Cargo electric van’s version of the MEB platform (VW’s dedicated EV architecture) and sport three rows.
We know GM has its own large SUV planned as part of its onslaught of electric vehicles on a new platform that GM CEO Mary Barra has promised will make electric cars a profitable venture. In a flowchart published last year, GM said it plans for two seven-seat electric SUVs: a regular SUV for one of its mass-market brands and a luxurious model, likely for Cadillac.
The flowchart, pictured above, describes a handful of other electric vehicles based on the unknown architecture, which includes an “expressive” low-roof car for a luxury brand and an “efficient” version of that car. Other crossovers and smaller SUVs are also in the pipeline.
The ID Lounge is said to feature proportions similar to the Volkswagen Touareg and will emphasize luxury as a range-topping electric vehicle for the brand. VW plans for an ID hatchback (Golf-sized), ID Buzz microbus, ID Crozz crossover, and ID Vizzion as well.
Both automakers have big plans for electric vehicles, though GM arguably got the jump on on VW with the Chevrolet Bolt EV and even the Volt plug-in hybrid. Alas, the Volt is not long for this world and will exit production next year. It’s unclear if the Voltec powertrain will find life elsewhere, or if GM will focus on fully electric cars going forward.
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As I have said before, time for Mary “Machete” Barra to go. She is obviously out of her league in running GM. Profits down, thousands of great American (and Canadian) workers fired, uninteresting products compared to the competition. The spy shot of the XT6 interior just proved it even more.
The worst part is “foreign” car companies like VW group, Mercedes, Toyota and many others are investing huge sums of money in AMERICA, while Mary’s GM keeps trying to justify why they ran away with American taxpayer money to China to build cars. Now she cries foul when her big bet has collapsed as the Chinese economy collapses and Trump is forcing them to honor FREE and FAIR trade. What part of supporting the American worker and community does Mary not get?!?!!?
Tesla is done that’s for sure. Other automakers are going to eat it for lunch and fast.
Even if the VW sort of looks like a Tesla.
So Jennick, Tesla is done because you saw a drawing of a potential vehicle that VW could show sometime next year at the Shanghai Motor Show. Well then, GM should just close up shop tomorrow because there is no hope. GM doesn’t even have any pretty drawings.
Are you an idiot?
Tesla has the lowest cost /kWh.
Tesla has best cost to scale of production.
Tesla has best in-class technology.
Tesla has more markets to expand into.
Tesla is selling every vehicle they’re producing.
Tesla has vacant factories to purchase for cheap soon.
Tesla is the only Automaker to produce everything in America.
They’re pushing the envelope, and increasing innovation.
GM certainly isn’t.
Wall Street likes Barra due to her following every short-sighted stock holder friendly as GM did with Holden. Yes, it may have destroyed the company but it looked damn good on paper! Will US heartland consumers react the same? Will Silverado pay the price especially with a new dapper Ram on the road?
PSA now earns a mint off of Opel. GM could have done the same just if licensing payments off of Regal and Astra had returned to Germany instead of Maryland not to mention Traverse’s cost reduction sceme!
Barra will squander Cruise and The General ‘s EV leadership. Ultimately GM will end up merged with Honda in a reverse takeover–Honda could provide quality far-sighted leadership.
Yes, VW will possibly beat them to the punch because GM has only been “talking” about their upcoming electric cars since the Bolt EV release.
GM did not show any serious EV transition yet. Just talk. And tons of ICE vehicles.
I am not sure that Mary bashing is very helpful here, as she seems to be an intelligent and capable woman. But I have a BIG problem with the current corporate climate everywhere that pays CEOs mega millions ( still not enough for Ghosn) while using hired help like indentured servants… at best. Pick a name, there all the same! I owned many VW and Mercedes diesels over the past decades but that ended even before deiselgate with a Volt purchase because I thought (and struggling to hold hope) that GM was on to something. Am I supposed to just forget how miserably dishonest and corrupt they all are and get entranced by there promised EV push and newfound PR ethics? Fool me once…
The ‘architecture bandwidth’ flowchart fills me with so much confidence.
Yet another reason to fire GM CEO Mary Barra for simply not being able to make up her mind of whether to electrifying the fleet or not and every mistake Mary Barra maks is costing General Motors thousands of jobs and $Billions.
Yes VW will win this battel. I hope not, but know better. I didn’t think GM could get worse, but I was wrong there also.
DONE.