VW ID. Polo: Affordable electric compact car with GTI option
The ID. Polo embodies all the virtues that made the Golf great. It will likely make its way, provided customers are willing to buy a non-SUV.
(Image: Christoph M. Schwarzer / heise medien)
- Christoph M. Schwarzer
Volkswagen is introducing the ID. Polo: The electric compact car can be ordered immediately and will be delivered starting in September. Let's just call it Polo. The new model resembles a Golf 3 in its proportions but surpasses the Golf 8 in trunk volume. In terms of design, the Polo is pure Volkswagen: The combination of clarity and familiar design language seems successful to me. This also applies to the interior. The competitors for this compact car are not necessarily found in the same segment. Rather, it is the SUV-like electric cars, such as the VW ID. Cross, that will compete with the Polo. The forecast is nevertheless positive because the package is attractive.
Volkswagen promises a price starting from 24,995 Euros. Those who want to drive electrically this cheaply must accept a compromise: The WLTP range (all values preliminary) is 329 km. Similar to the Renault 5, Volkswagen also offers an optional traction battery with a higher energy content and a range of 455 km in the Polo.
Four power levels
The electric motor that drives the front wheels is internally designated APP290. APP stands for axle-parallel drive, and 290 refers to the torque in Newton meters. In the Polo, the APP290 is coupled with traction batteries of 37 and 52 kWh. There are four power levels: 85 or 99 kW with the small battery, and 155 and 166 kW with the large battery system.
166 kW converts to 226 PS. That's the GTI. At the preview event in Hamburg, the GTI was displayed in red and silver. Especially in silver with red accents, the sporty Polo looked really good. But the color that comes standard for 24,995 Euros is also appealing: Volkswagen is moving away from boring white or gray and offers the Polo ex-factory in Python Yellow Metallic. A refreshing paint job against the uniform gray-silver-black that dominates the roads. Volkswagen has not yet released performance figures. Exception: The top speed is limited to 160 km/h for the non-GTIs.
VW ID. Polo außen (5 Bilder)
Volkswagen
)Trunk: more volume than in the Golf
The Polo's interior space is generous. Numerical values, such as the interior being 19 mm longer than the previous combustion engine model, do not fully convey the reality: The Polo offers more space than the Renault 5 and is compact rather than small. The trunk is noticeably large, with a volume of 441 liters, expandable to 1243 liters. For comparison: The current Golf has 381 to 1237 liters. In an electric car, there is no fuel tank or exhaust system to get in the way. Instead, the Polo has a deep recess under the cargo floor that can accommodate two cases of water. Unlike in the ID.3, the electric motor is located on the front axle. While this might limit acceleration grip and increase the turning circle, it improves regenerative braking and reduces costs because all components are close together.
Forget the foldable front passenger seat
However, Volkswagen made a mistake with variability: The foldable front passenger seat from the concept is not available. It will – probably and hopefully – be added later. In the compact car segment, features like a sliding rear seat or a foldable front passenger seat can be a selling point. See Renault Twingo, Kia EV2, or Hyundai Inster, the grandmaster of internal reconfiguration. The foldable front passenger seat would make the practicality complete. After all, the Polo has a towing capacity of up to 1200 kg and a tongue and roof load of 75 kg each. That's enough for a small caravan and two e-bikes.
Haptic controls
Numbers and facts aside, what defines the Polo first and foremost is its design, which provides a counterpoint to the previous ID experiments. It couldn't be more Volkswagen. The look is familiar, even though this electric car is new. In the interior, a designer has done an excellent job: the reduced clarity and order with simple operation at the same time is beautiful. All future Volkswagens will also have more haptic elements for control again: a rotary knob for volume, for example, four instead of two window switches, a fixed door handle for opening, clearly defined push buttons on the steering wheel, and a strip of toggle switches for the climate control. The central touchscreen remains essential for the many functions a modern car has.
VW ID. Polo innen (5 Bilder)
Volkswagen
)Different cell chemistry, same weight
It's worth delving deeper into the technical details of the ID. Polo. It is 4.05 m long, 1.82 m wide, and 1.53 m high. The wheelbase is 2.60 m, and the drag coefficient is cW 0.264. The Polo is based on the further developed Modular Electrification Toolkit MEB+ along with the Cupra Raval, the VW ID. Cross, and the Skoda Epiq. The two battery systems are designed as Cell-to-Pack and have a load-bearing function. The result is a relatively low curb weight of 1568 kg (37 kWh) or 1576 kg (52 kWh).
The fact that the two battery systems, despite their different energy content, weigh approximately the same is due to the cell chemistry: The 37-kWh package uses cost-effective LFP cells. LFP is robust and durable but has a low energy density. The 52-kWh version uses the NMC cells (for the cathode mixture of nickel, manganese, and cobalt) that are common in Europe.
V2L as standard
All Polos are capable of DC fast charging as standard. Preconditioning, i.e., targeted warming of the battery cells for charging stops, is installed in all Polos and can be activated automatically or manually. The standard charge from ten to 80 percent takes 27 minutes (LFP battery with 37 kWh) or 24 minutes (NMC with 52 kWh). The maximum charging power is 90 (LFP) or 105 (NMC) kW. While not spectacular, it's at the top of its class. For AC charging, three-phase charging at eleven kW is standard. The company missed the opportunity to differentiate itself here with 22 kW.
VW ID. Polo Technik (5 Bilder)
Volkswagen
)Furthermore, Volkswagen equips all Polos with bidirectional charging: V2L (for Vehicle-to-Load) for powering external electrical devices is standard from the outset. The power output is 3.6 kW. As soon as all components, from the DC wallbox to the electricity contract, are integrated, a V2G solution will also be available, i.e., bidirectional charging as a participant in the electricity market. VW announced this for the end of the year.
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One-Pedal Drive and Red Light Detection
The Polo receives assistance systems on par with other Volkswagens: Optionally, recuperation can be set to One-Pedal Drive. This means the Polo accelerates and decelerates to a standstill using the accelerator pedal. A unique feature for compact cars is red light detection with automatic stop function. However, restarting requires confirmation from the driver.
Finally, the trim levels: Trend is only available with the 37-kWh battery system and already includes automatic climate control, LED headlights, and a multifunction steering wheel. Those who choose the 52-kWh energy content get Life as the minimum trim. This variant offers, among other things, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, and the variable cargo area floor in the trunk. The highest trim level is called Style and features Matrix LED headlights, a heated steering wheel, and various LED decorative elements inside and out. The optional extras list includes a non-opening panoramic roof, massage seats, a Harman Kardon sound system, and more.
Competitive prices
The largest market volume is expected for the 52-kWh version with a 455 km range in the Life trim. The list price will be around 33,800 Euros (Renault 5 Techno with 407 km range: from 33,000 Euros). The Polo with 37 kWh and a 99 kW electric motor costs just under 30,000 Euros as a Life model. The GTI starts at just over 38,000 Euros. These prices are competitive, but not low. However, the package offered by the new Polo is convincing and coherent. The question now is whether the customer base is ready for this formally well-designed electric car. Many average Europeans prefer SUVs. The factual arguments speak in favor of the Polo.
VW ID. Polo: Technical Data
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VW ID. Polo: Equipment
| Trend | Side Assist |
| Lane Assist | |
| LED headlights | |
| Infotainment system | |
| Multifunction steering wheel | |
| Automatic climate control | |
| Life | Adaptive cruise control |
| Reversing camera | |
| Front parking aid | |
| Junction assistant | |
| Voice control | |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto | |
| Inductive charging tray | |
| variable cargo area floor | |
| Style | Matrix headlights |
| heated sports seats | |
| Ambient lighting | |
| heated steering wheel | |
| digital car keys |
(dmk)