From hot hatch to electric — the fun remains!
Attention fun seekers — the VW GTI is on the path to being all-electric, delivering that same ultimate experience despite not running on gas! What was once the original hot hatch, the Golf GTI in its eighth generation is designed to be its electric-age successor with a debut planned for 2026. Engineered to hold true to unmatched performance and feel and still without a doubt all-out fun to drive, the Golf’s hallmark since its origination has only gotten better!
Here’s more..
What we know so far!
The Golf GTI EV will be built on the front-drive MEB 21 EV platform, which was unveiled by the ID2all concept. Lighter and simpler to produce compared to VW’s rear- and all-wheel-drive MEB platform, this new model will feature a more useful load space, complete with all the powertrain hardware packaged under hood.
The all-electric GTI will also boast a deep underfloor compartment behind the multilink rear axle. Considered to be highly flexile, the MEB 21 in the Golf GTI form will feature a 2.4-inch-longer wheelbase and a 1.2-inch wider track than the ID2.
The GTI in its all-electric version will be presented in a whopping 320-hp version of the new APP550 motor fitted to the ID7 sedan, driving through an electronically controlled limited-slip differential.
Planned to cost about $40,000 and go on sale in 2026, the all-electric GTI will represent the discontinuation of the internal combustion engines and shift a keen focus on building electric automobiles. This move toward electrification is both exciting and inevitable, as new models are releasing and the old ones are getting conversions to EVs.
This new GTI is designed to be an electric age successor of the four-wheeler, originally a hot hatch. Numerous upgrades and a special version — the Golf R 333 — mark this EV, with the automaker setting a goal of 80 percent of sales in Europe and 55 percent of sales in North America fully electric by 2030.
Lighter and more fun to drive, the all-electric GTI will also boast more space and practicality similar to the gas-powered version in use today.
Similar to the production version of the ID2, the Golf GTI EV symbolizes a return to the sharp and confident styling that has become a mainstay of VW’s in the Ferdinand Piech era, ending the notion that electric Volkswagens need to look different from their ICE siblings.
This all-electric model marks the end of the line for the gas-powered Golf era. Whether or not electrification will be the sign of things to come permanently still remains to be seen, but if the current automotive scenario is the sign of the future, then that answer is surely clear!
In addition to this eighth generation EV model, VW has also unveiled a special 40th Anniversary Edition GTI, complete with special badging, exclusive colors and unique touches.
With the move to this fully electric version, it is uncertain if the last Golf with an internal combustion engine will increase in value. Due to the popularity of the GTI, they may be well worth the hunt on the used market.
With a promise to go all electric by 2026 and to continue the experience drivers have come to know and love from the GTI, the news is both exciting and monumental! The fun with this driving experience will surely remain — reserve yours today!
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