Iconic hatchback goes electric!

The Volkswagen Polo name will live on, rather than be sidelined by the incoming production version of the brand’s ID.2all concept car.

The ID.Polo electric hatchback is set to launch in 2026 and will eventually be headlined by the ID.Polo GTI which will arrive later. It'll be Volkswagen’s first crack at an electric GTI model.

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VW will also unveil an electric light SUV concept called the ID.Cross Concept the day before, which it says will be the electric equivalent of the T-Cross.

While specifications haven’t been officially confirmed for the electric models, UK outlet Autocar reports the ID.Polo GTI will boast 174kW thanks to a front-mounted electric motor.

It also says a ‘Clubsport’ version with as much as 210kW is in the works, and even an all-wheel-drive R version with almost 300kW could be possible.

Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schafer said keeping the names of VW’s well-known models would be important for customer familiarity and brand continuity.

“Our model names are firmly anchored in people’s minds,” said Schafer.

“They stand for a strong brand and embody characteristics such as quality, timeless design and technologies for all.”

He also hinted that it wouldn’t just be Polo, meaning the electric models in each segment are likely to borrow their names from the existing equivalent.

“That’s why we’re moving our well-known names into the future. The ID. Polo is just the beginning.”