VW Promises Under $30,000 Electric Sedan With 200+ Mile Range

Electric car options are about to get a lot more interesting.

Remember when I wondered about whether to buy the new 150 mile range Nissan Leaf now, or wait for a longer-range, likely more expensive 2019 version? According to an article by Luke John Smith in Auto Express, VW may be about to release a 200+ mile range electric sedan with a starting price of under $30,000.

The car, which is likely to be a production version loosely based on the ID concept pictured above, will also come with some longer-range, more expensive, higher performance options too. Here's how Christian Senger, head of e-mobility for Volkswagen, described the coming roll out to Auto Express:

“We will have three different ranges of I.D. hatchback, to allow for people with different budgets. The entry-level car will have a WLTP range of 330km (205 miles), and it will also have more limited performance. If people want a faster car then I don’t want them coming back after three months telling me that it’s fast but that the range is too short. So if you want a fast car, you’ll need a bigger battery — simple.”

For my part, I'm excited to see prices coming down for slightly longer range electric cars. But I'm also more excited about the fact that automakers are offering a range of, ahem, ranges and a range of prices too. I, for one, could do with a little more range than what my used Nissan Leaf offers me now, but I am a firm believer that medium-range, cheaper, smaller electric cars would (or at least should) do well for those of us who don't need to road trip too often.

It sounds like the new ID may fit that mold. Although I've just noticed Steve Hanley over at Cleantechnica speculating that they may not bring it to the US...