Volkswagen Promises New ID.3 and ID.4 Will Be 'True' EVs

Automaker gears up for all-out EV blitz with refreshed models and new naming strategy

Apr. 13, 2026 at 2:38pm

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An abstract, blurred image of a Volkswagen ID.3 electric vehicle in motion, conveying a sense of speed, modern engineering, and travel through the use of vibrant color streaks and a dynamic, panning composition.Volkswagen's electric vehicle blitz aims to recapture the brand's signature driving dynamics and user-friendly design.Chattanooga Today

After admitting it had lost touch with buyers, Volkswagen's CEO Thomas Schäfer promises to get it right with the brand's new EV lineup launching this year, including the updated ID.3 and ID.4 models. Schäfer acknowledged the current ID.3 and ID.4 have not lived up to expectations, and the company has lost the 'special Volkswagen feel.' The automaker is shifting to a new naming strategy and design language to reinvent its electric vehicles based on customer feedback.

Why it matters

Volkswagen is one of the world's largest automakers and its success with electric vehicles is crucial as the industry transitions away from internal combustion engines. The ID.3 and ID.4 have been important models for VW's EV push, so getting the next generation right is critical for the brand to regain consumer trust and market share in the rapidly evolving EV landscape.

The details

Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schäfer admitted the company had 'lost its core' with the current ID.3 and ID.4 EVs, saying the vehicles lacked the 'special Volkswagen feel.' To address this, the automaker is launching a new design language and naming strategy for its next-generation electric models. This includes the refreshed ID.3 Neo debuting next week, as well as the ID. Polo, ID. Cross, and ID. Tiguan (replacing the ID.4) in the coming months. Key changes include the return of physical climate control buttons and exterior door handles based on customer feedback. Volkswagen's design chief Andreas Mindt promises a new 'secret sauce' for the styling of these upcoming EVs.

  • Volkswagen's EV blitz kicks off next week with the debut of the updated ID.3 Neo.
  • The new ID. Polo and ID. Polo GTI are expected to launch in Europe in the coming months.
  • The ID. Cross, an electric equivalent to the T-Cross, is slated to debut this summer.
  • Volkswagen announced it will end production of the current ID.4 at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant later this month.
  • The ID. Tiguan, replacing the ID.4, is expected to make its official debut by the end of 2026.

The players

Thomas Schäfer

Volkswagen brand CEO who acknowledged the company had 'lost its core' with the current ID.3 and ID.4 electric vehicles.

Kai Grünitz

Volkswagen's tech development boss who worked with Schäfer to reinvent the brand based on customer feedback.

Andreas Mindt

Volkswagen's design chief who promises a new 'secret sauce' for the styling of the upcoming EV models.

Volkswagen

One of the world's largest automakers that is undergoing a major electric vehicle push with new models and a refreshed design language.

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What they’re saying

“It was clear to me that we were actually losing our core. We lost that special Volkswagen feel.”

— Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen brand CEO

“And that's why we bring back real buttons, usability, and also real car names you can understand immediately.”

— Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen brand CEO

What’s next

Volkswagen will launch the refreshed ID.3 Neo next week, kicking off a wave of new EV models under the brand's updated naming strategy. The ID. Polo and ID. Cross are expected to debut in the coming months, followed by the ID. Tiguan replacement for the ID.4 by the end of 2026.

The takeaway

Volkswagen's admission that it had lost touch with customers and its 'special feel' with the current ID.3 and ID.4 EVs underscores the challenges even the largest automakers face in transitioning to electric vehicles. The company's renewed focus on customer feedback, a revamped design language, and a simplified naming strategy for its upcoming EV lineup signals an effort to regain consumer trust and market share in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle market.