Volkswagen's Cheap EVs Rack Up Nearly 150,000 Orders as Buyers Flock to Small Electric Cars

Volkswagen's bet on low-cost electric cars is paying off — at least in Europe. The Group's Electric Urban Car Family has already received nearly 150,000 orders after series production began in June, Electrek reported, citing Volkswagen sales boss Martin Sander. The lineup currently includes the Volkswagen ID. Polo and ID. Cross, plus the Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq, all sharing the same underpinnings.

The numbers behind the rush are striking. Volkswagen said one in five models it delivered in Europe in the third quarter was all-electric, with the EV share of the order book up to around 40%. The Group delivered 209,100 EVs in Europe in the third quarter, up 20% from Q3 2025, while EV orders were up 60% year over year. Through September, it delivered 586,100 all-electric vehicles in Europe, up 12% from the same period in 2025. In Germany, orders for pure electric cars now exceed those of internal combustion vehicles.

Price is the weapon. The VW ID. Polo Trend with the 37 kWh battery starts at just 24,995 euros (about $29,000) with a WLTP range of 334 km (207 miles), and the ID. Cross — the electric counterpart to VW's best-selling T-Cross — starts at 27,995 euros (about $32,000) in Germany. Sander credited the rush to a combination of high fuel prices and the new entry-level lineup. The lesson for the rest of the industry is blunt: in a market without subsidies, the EV that sells is the one ordinary buyers can actually afford.