Polo before the end: VW boss shocked with crystal clear announcement
For small cars, the switch to electric drive is a real challenge. So far, the battery has made many models more expensive, not only at VW. But now the future of the combustion engine is also at stake in the Polo.
VW Polo: The future of the cult combustion engine is hanging in the balance
With Euro 7, a new emission standard is announced from 2025. The cuts for the industry should be small in order to continue to allow affordable purchase prices for cars. Prices should only rise by a few hundred euros if manufacturers have to invest in improved exhaust technology during development. VW brand boss Thomas Schäfer sees it differently. He fears that micro and small cars like that Volkswagen Polo up to 5,000 euros more expensive in one fell swoop would.
Such a price increase would throw the cult car into a new price range. The small car costs from 19,925 euros in the current basic version. An increase, as Schäfer expected, would put the Polo on a par with the cheapest electric car that the Wolfsburg-based company is currently working on.
According to Schäfer, Volkswagen is currently examining the effects that the new emissions standard could have on Polo and Co. The CEO expects results in a few days. However, if his fears are confirmed and the Euro 7 Polo becomes significantly more expensive, “we will definitely not invest any more” (source: car via Auto Motor Sport). It would be the end for the small car probably from 2025 at the latest.
The Polo as we know it could be heading towards its end. However, it is unlikely that the name will also disappear with it. Schäfer had only recently confirmed that VW wanted to hold on to strong brand and model names in the era of electric cars. In this context, he brought an ID. Golf comes into play, which could be located below the ID.3 in the Wolfsburg portfolio.
The price race between e-cars and combustion engines has not been decided:
Cheap e-cars? Battery problem is not solved yet
VW does not want to do without the new, but already well-established ID series as a name, nor does it want to do without the model designations from the combustion engine era, some of which have been known for decades. an ID Following the Golf scheme, Polo could settle below the already planned ID.2 and become VW’s new entry-level model. Before that, however, the costs for e-cars, especially their batteries, would have to be reduced. A problem that VW is working on, according to Schäfer no solution yet Has.
