Volkswagen goes 'boring' with ID 2all design – and it's a good thing

The ID 2all was unveiled by Volkswagen boss Thomas Schäfer at an event on 15 March

The new concept car previews a sub-£22,000 electric car that's due to go on sale in 2026

Can something that’s safe and boring also be radical?

You see, the new Volkswagen ID 2all concept looks exactly like you would expect a Volkswagen to look. Which, confusingly, is wholly unexpected.

In the electric era, Volkswagen has often seemed like it’s trying to escape its rich heritage. It opted against using classic model names for its bespoke EVs, preferring the new ID sub-brand, and it gave those models their own distinct, EV-focused styling.

And they’ve been fine. They just haven’t been very… Volkswagen. And when you’ve got a brand with such a rich heritage of hugely popular, genre-defining cars, that’s a waste. What helps Volkswagen stand apart from the many new rivals chasing its customers is that familiarity, that heritage, that genuine warmth many feel for the brand.

So the ID 2all doesn’t look particularly revolutionary, or futuristic, or even electric. It looks like a Volkswagen. And for a long-time Polo or Golf driver who loves their car but is considering the switch to an EV, that’s a very good thing.