Volkswagen to ditch ID naming scheme for 'proper names' for new EVs

The current Volkswagen ID naming scheme for its electric vehicles (EV) will be junked in favour of something more in keeping with the brand’s history.

Martin Sander, the Volkswagen brand’s chief of marketing and sales, told Auto und Wirtschaft Volkswagen’s new EV models “will get proper names again”.

The change starts with the production versions of the ID. Every1 and ID. 2all.

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It’s unclear what names Volkswagen is intending to use for these cars and future EVs, with Mr Sander simply saying the company will “announce that when the time comes”.

Earlier rumours indicated the next-generation Golf, which will be an electric-only model, would be christened ID. Golf.

Given Volkswagen intends to keep the present petrol- and diesel-powered Golf in production into the next decade, and sell it alongside the new EV-only Golf, having the ID. prefix allows for differentiation between the two cars while retaining the name recognition and heritage of long-lived Golf badge.

If this rumour proves to be true, the ID. 2all launching in 2026 could end being the ID. Polo, while the smaller ID. Every1 launching in 2027 could be the ID. Up. It’s possible Volkswagen could go down the Chevrolet route, and simply call these cars the Polo EV, and Up EV.

Of course another possibility is giving these cars completely new names, possibly related in some way to the existing ICE (internal combustion engine) car in its class.

The brand has a history with this. For example, the sedan version of the Polo was once known as the Derby, while the booted variant of the Golf was the Jetta – the latter two are both named after air currents, the Gulf stream and jet stream, respectively.

Currently Volkswagen’s EV carry the ID. prefix followed by a number, with larger numbers denoting bigger or more expensive vehicles. Like the alphanumeric systems employed by Hyundai and Kia, Volkswagen ID names don’t differentiate classic body styles, like hatches and sedans, from crossovers.

Reverting to “proper names” follows on from a declaration in 2023 by Andreas Mindt, Volkswagen’s head of design, that the marque would ditch the current rounded, cab-forward design of the ID cars for something more normal and traditional for its next-generation EVs.

The shift has already started with the company’s concept cars, which were it not for their ID. badging could easily pass off as next-generation of versions of its ICE vehicles.

These include the 2023 ID. 2all, 2025 ID. Every1, and the ID. Aura, ID. Era and ID. Evo that were recently unveiled at the 2025 Shanghai motor show.

MORE: Everything Volkswagen