It wasn't that long ago when the release of a teaser meant the automaker would unveil the car in full in a matter of days, weeks, or months. However, the modus operandi is changing as we keep getting previews of vehicles that won't see the light of day anytime soon. Take for example the Volkswagen Group, which has shared design sketches of three electric vehicles it will introduce in about three years from now.
These affordable EVs are going to be assembled in Spain and will serve as direct replacements for the VW e-up!, Skoda Citigo-e iV, and the SEAT Mii Electric. Right off the bat, we can see the VW-badged car looks substantially different than the ID. Life concept unveiled in September 2021 at the IAA Munich show. There have been some rumors about the entry-level EV being fully redesigned, and it appears the gossip was accurate. It looks less boxy than the showcar and more along the lines of a smaller ID.3.
The Cupra teaser is far from new as the Spanish division of the VW Group shared the sketch in 2021. It will take after the UrbanRebel concept that debuted at the same show in Germany last year. However, don't expect the same overly aggressive styling as the subsequent production version will be substantially toned down. A hotter derivative could be in the works, but is highly unlikely to have 429 horsepower like the concept.
As for the Skoda, it appears to be the most practical of the trio. It has a boxy shape to provide more room inside the cabin for passengers and their cargo. That makes sense since the brand from Mladá Boleslav has always been about selling the largest cars in their respective segments. The chunky wheel arches with plastic cladding suggest it will have some crossover traits.
The VW Group is engineering a new MEB Small platform for these cars, which will all have a single electric motor driving the front wheels. The current crop of MEB-based EVs are RWD, and some offer an optional front-mounted motor to enable AWD. It's too soon to say whether these cheaper zero-emissions models will be offered with an all-paw setup.
The German automotive conglomerate has already said the new wave of EVs will carry a starting price of €20,000 and top out at approximately €25,000. For the time being, there's no word about a more upmarket alternative from Audi.
