Volkswagen’s upcoming family of smaller, more affordable electric vehicles (EVs) will not be offered with a gasoline engine. Volkswagen brand chief Thomas Schäferhas said that small gasoline-powered cars don’t make sense, noting that “the future in this segment is electric.” During an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Schäfer explained that “offering new models with a gasoline engine in the Polo segment and below doesn’t make sense in light of future emissions regulations.”
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The statements come as the German automotive giant prepares to launch its new family of mass-market electric cars, starting with the ID.Polo in spring 2026.
Schäfer added that new petrol cars would be “too expensive” and would not make sense. With the Polo-sized electric car expected to be launched next year, the report suggests that Volkswagen’s upcoming entry-level EVs will not have petrol-powered sibling models. While the VW brand CEO did not specify how long it plans to continue selling combustion-engine versions of the Polo and T-Cross, local reports suggest that this could continue until 2030.
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As for hydrogen cars, Schäfer called them a “false talk” for the mass segment. “There simply isn’t enough green hydrogen, the fuel cell is too expensive and the technology isn’t efficient either,” he said. The ID.Polo kicks off a new generation of Volkswagen as the first EV to carry an established brand name.
Both will be based on VW's new MEB+ , which will underpin Volkswagen's entry-level EV lineup. An even smaller and cheaper ID.1 is expected to be launched in 2027, replacing the e-UP!. Volkswagen finally seems to be on the right track with its new entry-level EV lineup.
Buyers are looking for smaller, more efficient electric vehicles. In the first 10 months of the year, electric vehicles accounted for 16.4% of vehicle registrations in Europe, up from 13.2% in October 2024. According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, the market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 36.6% from 46.3% during the same period.
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Chinese and Korean brands such as BYD, Kia and Hyundai are seeing early success in Europe with mass-market EVs such as the Dolphin Surf, EV3 and Hyundai Inster EV. Volkswagen is looking to capture its share with the ID.Polo and ID.Cross due in 2026.
