The EV World: Where Hot Hatches Still Elude Automakers

One segment that the EV world hasn't cracked yet is the hot hatch. A proper hot hatch is about lightweight fun in an economical package, and an EV is neither lightweight nor economical. At least Volkswagen is hoping to change that with its latest concept car.

Volkswagen has killed off the Gulf here in North America, but it's now set to kill off the version of the GTI that you can get with a manual gearbox. This is quite a shame, as the GTI has at least been the poster child for hot hatch enthusiasts for decades. Times are indeed changing, and a Next Generation version of the GTI has been revealed on the horizon. And this one is electric.

That's not a shock, really. Everything is heading in that direction, but a hot hatch EV is still not something any automaker has properly been able to cook up. Still, I have hope that VW is the one to pull it off based on all the history we've enjoyed with the GTI for many years.

The Volkswagen ID GTI is a concept of what's in store for the future. It's a sportier version of the upcoming VW ID, which itself is a concept version of the upcoming id2. Sadly, the id2 doesn't seem destined for our shores, which seems like a missed opportunity for a proper electric hatch aimed at helping jumpstart more affordable options on the sliding scale of EV pricing.

Historically, hot hatches have been a more affordable option on the list of entertaining vehicles available for purchase. Could an electric GTI come in at a price that makes it appealing to a wide range of potential buyers? That remains to be seen. In fact, a lot of things remain to be seen this is still very much a concept thus it has no info on powertrains distribution plans or price points.

But I'm going to keep a close eye on this one because hot hatches rule. It would be pretty great to see an automaker take what makes a hot hatch so great and apply it in the EV space. Can anyone actually pull it off? That's a tall task, but I'm hopeful nonetheless.

The concept car has been unveiled at the Munich auto show, with the light bar on the nose to the wheels. Word of the tech on the inside is not available yet, but this is one cool concept. It rides on the Meb entry platform, which is a compact front-wheel drive platform and one befitting of a future electric GTI.

Volkswagen is saying that thanks to what it can do with the electric motor or motors, it's possible to simulate the driving experience of historic GTI models right down to the feel of perceived shift points steering feel and engine noise. They're specifically mentioning GTI models such as the OG from 1976, the 16 valve Mark II GTI from the mid-80s, and on up to the 20th anniversary mark IV.

It will look quasi-futuristic inside and out yet it will attempt to deliver upon what makes a hot hatch special. That's how an automaker can hopefully bring hot hatch enjoyment into the modern age. A piece of that puzzle though is the price. Hot hatches have always been more affordable until the recent era of silly markups.

As for whether an electric GTI could come in at a price that makes it appealing to a wide range of potential buyers, that remains to be seen. In fact, a lot of things remain to be seen this is still very much a concept thus it has no info on powertrains distribution plans or price points but I'm going to keep a close eye on this one because hot hatches rule and it would be pretty great to see an automaker take what makes a hot hatch so great and apply it in the EV space can anyone actually pull it off it will be a tall task that's for sure but I'm hopeful nonetheless

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enone segment that the EV world hasn't cracked yet is the hot hatch that's because a proper hot hatch is about lightweight fun in an economical package and an EV is neither lightweight nor economical typically at least Volkswagen is hoping to change that though as its latest concept car seeks to prove as Volkswagen is killed off the Gulf here in North America it's now set to kill off the version of the GTI that you can get with a manual gearbox that's quite a shame as the GTI has at least here in the States been the poster child for hot hatch enthusiasts for decades times they are indeed a changing and a Next Generation version of the GTI has been revealed on the horizon and this one is electric that's not a shock really is everything is heading that way but a hot hatch Eevee is not something any automaker has properly been able to cook up just yet still I have hope that VW is the one to pull it off based on all the history we've enjoyed with the GTI for many years the Volkswagen ID GTI is a concept of what's in store for the future it's a sportier version of the upcoming VW ID to all which itself is a concept version of the upcoming id2 sadly the id2 doesn't seem destined for our Shores which seems like a missed opportunity for a proper electric hatch aimed at helping jumpstart more affordable options on the sliding scale of EV pricing which historically hasn't been much of a scale in a more of a everything is very expensive sort of deal now although we're not going to get the id2 we may hopefully have a shot at the ID GTI because it looks pretty fun and that's before we even learn anything about power options range or price so far VW is only showing off The Styling as the concept car has been unveiled at the Munich auto show from the light bar on the nose to the wheels and word of the tech on the inside this is one cool concept it rides on the Meb entry platform which is a compact front-wheel drive platform and one befitting of a future electric GTI there's no word on power like I said but a top spec version of the upcoming id2 will have 223 horsepower so this would likely have at least that much but hopefully closer to 250 or even 300 horsepower I mentioned Tech though and here's where this one really starts to get interesting Volkswagen is saying that thanks to what it can do with the electric motor or Motors it's possible to simulate the Driving Experience of historic GTI models the right down to the feel of perceived shift points steering feel and engine noise and they're specifically mentioning GTI models such as the OG from 1976 the 16 valve Mark II GTI from the mid 80s and on up to the 20th anniversary mark IV it will look quasi-futuristic inside and out yet it will attempt to deliver upon what makes a hot hatch special and that's the driving experience and that's how an automaker can hopefully bring hot hatch enjoyment into the Modern Age piece of that puzzle though is the price hot hatches have until the recent era of silly markups always been a more affordable option on the list of entertaining Vehicles available for purchase could an electric GTI come in at a price that makes it appealing to a wide range of potential buyers that remains to be seen in fact a lot of things remain to be seen this is still very much a concept thus it has no info on powertrains distribution plans or price points but I'm going to keep a close eye on this one because hot hatches Rule and it would be pretty great to see an automaker take what makes a hot hatch so great and apply it in the EV space can anyone actually pull it off it will be a tall task that's for sure but I'm hopeful foreignone segment that the EV world hasn't cracked yet is the hot hatch that's because a proper hot hatch is about lightweight fun in an economical package and an EV is neither lightweight nor economical typically at least Volkswagen is hoping to change that though as its latest concept car seeks to prove as Volkswagen is killed off the Gulf here in North America it's now set to kill off the version of the GTI that you can get with a manual gearbox that's quite a shame as the GTI has at least here in the States been the poster child for hot hatch enthusiasts for decades times they are indeed a changing and a Next Generation version of the GTI has been revealed on the horizon and this one is electric that's not a shock really is everything is heading that way but a hot hatch Eevee is not something any automaker has properly been able to cook up just yet still I have hope that VW is the one to pull it off based on all the history we've enjoyed with the GTI for many years the Volkswagen ID GTI is a concept of what's in store for the future it's a sportier version of the upcoming VW ID to all which itself is a concept version of the upcoming id2 sadly the id2 doesn't seem destined for our Shores which seems like a missed opportunity for a proper electric hatch aimed at helping jumpstart more affordable options on the sliding scale of EV pricing which historically hasn't been much of a scale in a more of a everything is very expensive sort of deal now although we're not going to get the id2 we may hopefully have a shot at the ID GTI because it looks pretty fun and that's before we even learn anything about power options range or price so far VW is only showing off The Styling as the concept car has been unveiled at the Munich auto show from the light bar on the nose to the wheels and word of the tech on the inside this is one cool concept it rides on the Meb entry platform which is a compact front-wheel drive platform and one befitting of a future electric GTI there's no word on power like I said but a top spec version of the upcoming id2 will have 223 horsepower so this would likely have at least that much but hopefully closer to 250 or even 300 horsepower I mentioned Tech though and here's where this one really starts to get interesting Volkswagen is saying that thanks to what it can do with the electric motor or Motors it's possible to simulate the Driving Experience of historic GTI models the right down to the feel of perceived shift points steering feel and engine noise and they're specifically mentioning GTI models such as the OG from 1976 the 16 valve Mark II GTI from the mid 80s and on up to the 20th anniversary mark IV it will look quasi-futuristic inside and out yet it will attempt to deliver upon what makes a hot hatch special and that's the driving experience and that's how an automaker can hopefully bring hot hatch enjoyment into the Modern Age piece of that puzzle though is the price hot hatches have until the recent era of silly markups always been a more affordable option on the list of entertaining Vehicles available for purchase could an electric GTI come in at a price that makes it appealing to a wide range of potential buyers that remains to be seen in fact a lot of things remain to be seen this is still very much a concept thus it has no info on powertrains distribution plans or price points but I'm going to keep a close eye on this one because hot hatches Rule and it would be pretty great to see an automaker take what makes a hot hatch so great and apply it in the EV space can anyone actually pull it off it will be a tall task that's for sure but I'm hopeful foreign\n"