Volkswagen Reveals the First EV to Wear the Hallowed GTI Badge
Key takeaways
- Polo GTI sends 223 horsepower to the front wheels and features sportier styling, but it ain't coming to America.
- Polo GTI, the first electric vehicle to wear the GTI badge.The ID.
- Polo maxes out at 208 horsepower, the Polo GTI produces 223 horsepower and 213 pound-feet of torque via an electric motor mounted on the front axle, which is paired with an electronically controlled front differential.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
The electric ID. Polo GTI sends 223 horsepower to the front wheels and features sportier styling, but it ain't coming to America.
Volkswagen Volkswagen has unveiled the ID. Polo GTI, the first electric vehicle to wear the GTI badge.The ID. Polo GTI sends 223 horsepower and 213 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels via an electronically controlled differential.The hot hatch reaches 62 mph in 6.8 seconds and can travel up to 263 miles on a charge on Europe's WLTP test cycle.The letters GTI carry a lot of weight among Volkswagen enthusiasts, so much so that VW has avoided using the hallowed moniker on sportier versions of its EVs, instead opting to brand them GTX. But that all changes now. After recently unveiling the ID. Polo—the seventh generation of VW's subcompact hatch that is now all-electric—VW has now unveiled the ID. Polo GTI, the first EV to bear the GTI badge.
While the regular ID. Polo maxes out at 208 horsepower, the Polo GTI produces 223 horsepower and 213 pound-feet of torque via an electric motor mounted on the front axle, which is paired with an electronically controlled front differential. Volkswagen says it can scoot to 62 mph in 6.8 seconds, and the top speed is listed at 108 mph. The car weighs 3395 pounds without the driver.