Yahoo Autos The Electric Volkswagen GTI Is Coming For 2026
A production version of the recent VW ID.GTI Concept is officially slated to arrive for 2026, according to the automaker’s head of design Andreas Mindt. The executive noted the updated timeline via Instagram, but has yet to make any confirmation about the U.S. market.
"The Golf GTI was first unveiled at the 1975 Frankfurt Motor Show with a production run of 5,000 units,” Mindt said on Instagram. “To date, we have sold more than 2.8 million. In 2026, we will introduce an electric version of this iconic model.”
The ID.GTI Concept first made its debut at the IAA auto show in Munich back in September. The concept itself appears to be based on the brand’s upcoming ID.2, which is smaller than the current Mk8 GTI here in the States. That model is slated to feature both 38-kWh and 56-kWh battery packs, with the latter more likely to serve in the electric GTI model. That larger pack also provides fast charging speeds up to 125 kW, while giving the ID.2 an estimated range of 280 miles on the less-stringent Euro WLTP cycle. While some performance hardware and tuning will likely see that figure drop slightly in GTI form, we’ll have to wait a bit for specific performance metrics. The top-trim ID.2 is set to provide European customers with 223 hp, so expect at least a step up from there.
Of course, the ID.2 is not currently expected to arrive on American shores, despite the fact that the model is based on the same MEB platform as VW’s American market EVs. The hatch is significantly smaller than the current Golf, which is also not sold in the United States outside of GTI trim. That could be a good sign for the electric variant, but things remain unclear for now.
Here’s hoping that VW does bring the EV hatch to the States looking similar to the concept, as it's a handsome hatchback. That said, we shouldn’t have too much longer to wait before VW starts making more detailed announcements.
You Might Also Like
