When Volkswagen wants to become the people's car again...

The Europeans are finished.

This was my first impression after flying to Germany last week to attend the launch event of Volkswagen's ID 1 concept car.

The press conference didn't reveal much information. The ID Every1 concept car made its debut, and Volkswagen announced its positioning and future vision for this car.

Volkswagen official website

Starting price: 20,000 euros.

By 2030, Volkswagen hopes to become the world's number one in electric vehicle sales (excluding the Chinese market).

From the perspective of Chinese consumers' concept of cost - effectiveness, most people would think that the Germans are probably crazy when looking at the Volkswagen ID 1.

Volkswagen official website

It has a smaller body than the Volkswagen ID3, with an interior space similar to that of the Volkswagen Polo. It uses the MEB front - wheel drive platform, probably equipped with a 40kWh battery with not - so - fast fast - charging, a single - motor on the front axle with a maximum power of 94 horsepower, a top speed of 130 km/h, and a WLTP range of about 250 kilometers.

The starting price of 20,000 euros is approximately equivalent to 157,800 RMB.

Volkswagen official website

You know, in China, 20,000 euros can buy a quite decent SUV or a fairly large domestic or joint - venture brand sedan.

Electric vehicles with similar capabilities to the Volkswagen ID1, although compliant with Chinese regulations, are still commonly referred to as "old - man scooters" on the Internet. They are generally priced between 40,000 and 60,000 RMB, or even cheaper.

Therefore, Volkswagen has decided that the ID1 will not enter the Chinese market and will not be produced locally.

This is a very rational business decision. In China, Volkswagen's partner is XPeng, which understands the Chinese market better, is more competitive, and is more aggressive in achieving higher product cost - effectiveness. Overseas, Volkswagen's partner is Rivian, a new American electric vehicle startup with good electric vehicle technology and politically correct.

To be honest, the ID Every 1 is not a useless German junk when compared with Chinese cars.

It is a pure - electric A0 - class small car that looks like it maintains the Volkswagen brand style, has a young design, and is not overly exaggerated.

It seems to have the shadow of the Golf MK3 and MK4.

Its overall body size is similar to that of the Volkswagen UP. Instead of using through - type lighting at the front and rear, it uses a lighting module design that doesn't seem to cost too much but has a very refreshing and amazing visual effect.

ID1 headlights, from Volkswagen official website

The body doesn't have many additional decorative parts but uses large - area body arcs. It is simple and very much in line with Volkswagen's positioning: solid and durable.

From my personal perspective, this might be the best - designed A0 - class pure - electric small car I've seen in the past two years.

From Volkswagen official website

The NIO Firefly is positioned higher. Even if we put aside the controversial three - eye headlights, the overall shape of the car is too similar to the Honda E. Among the lower - positioned A0 - class small cars in China, such as the four - door Wuling Hongguang MINI EV and the Geely Xingyuan, seem to be designed too "cute" or, more directly, too mediocre in order to have more interior space and a lower price.

The comments on this car on the Internet are very consistent: if it had more horsepower, a larger battery, was produced locally in China, and was priced at 70,000 - 80,000 RMB, it would be great.

It seems that the root of the problem comes back to the 20,000 - euro pricing.

It can only be said that Chinese car companies have really raised consumers' expectations.

So, when the press conference ended and I saw all the overseas media swarming towards the exhibition car, my impression changed.

What is the ID1 for European media?

It is a spiritual totem, representing Volkswagen's return to the people in the era of electric vehicles.

It is an electric vehicle with a very low starting price. In Europe, with 20,000 euros, there are almost no other options. Even the Volkswagen Golf, which is very familiar to Chinese people, costs more than 30,000 euros in Europe. So even by 2027, European media still think this car will be very popular.

Volkswagen UP, from Volkswagen official website

It is an electric vehicle with a satisfactory design. The previous Volkswagen UP still doesn't look outdated even now. According to the designer, the final mass - produced version of the ID 1 will have 80% - 90% of the design of the current concept car restored. This will also be a very successful generation of design and will still look classic after many years.

For European media, the shock of seeing the ID Every1 is no less than that of Chinese media when they saw that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, which was originally pre - priced at more than 810,000 RMB, was only sold for about 500,000 RMB. (This comparison may not be very appropriate, but it's about the same idea.)

While there is a lot of discussion on Chinese Internet about Volkswagen not being able to compete with Chinese car companies and this car having no chance in China, at the end of this article, I actually want to talk about my changed impression:

Chinese cars are indeed very strong and competitive, but it seems that we are over - competing.

The author often travels to Europe on business. Almost everyone says that Europeans are too inefficient and things are too expensive. They often close at night and take weekends off.

But in essence, this is a rule. You may dislike others taking holidays during your rest time, but at the same time, this is the confidence that you can also take a break when others are on holiday.

We are indeed very efficient, and the Chinese automotive industry has developed rapidly in recent years. However, it seems that our domestic brands have not really defeated foreign brands. Instead, the competition is getting more and more intense, cars are getting cheaper, and there are fewer and fewer truly "happy" people in the industry.

No consumer will reject a new car with extremely high cost - effectiveness. Naturally, people are willing to "vote" with their real budgets. But what consumers immediately face is the problem of new cars devaluing their old ones. Their "old cars" cannot use the new functions that are launched just a few months after they pick up the car. Even like the Jiyue situation, when the car company goes bankrupt, Jiyue car owners are forced to become content creators in order to safeguard their rights. They haven't solved the car problems yet, but they have become more and more proficient in writing WeChat official account posts.

This may not be a good thing. It even seems like we are suffering without real reasons.

The automotive industry is a huge one. In Germany, more than 10% of the jobs are directly or indirectly related to the automotive industry. In China, there are more than 50 million people working in this industry. An industry of this scale obviously needs a long - term and sustainable development path.

This doesn't mean that the intense competition in the Chinese automotive industry is bad. The achievements accumulated by the Chinese automotive industry over the years are of absolute value. However, the increasingly tense international trade relations seem to be gradually limiting the innovative technologies emerging in the Chinese market to internal digestion.

Now, the electric vehicle that Volkswagen sells in Europe for 20,000 euros doesn't have high cost - effectiveness for Chinese people, but Europeans like it.

Chinese cars are becoming more and more advanced, and the fierce competition will eventually reach a relatively stable state.

Everyone has a bright future.

That's good.