It looks like Volkswagen has learned from the past and will introduce the ID Hatchback with a look that is near identical to the 2016 I.D. Concept. Of course, there will be a few things changed here and there, but a new report from Autocar claims that it is essentially the concept. This is exciting news, and what won’t carry over is completely understandable. Keep reading to find out.

Concept Looks With a Little Less Technology

The Volkswagen ID Hatchback is set to be an EV for masses, which essentially means it will be affordable. It’ll be about the size of the Golf, which helps keep it at an affordable price but the lack of certain concept technology will also help keep pricing down. First up, Volkswagen won’t be including those electric door handles or “door poppers” as some of you call them. Accord to VW, they are just too expensive. The other big thing that will be missing are the side view cameras which will be replaced by traditional side view mirrors. No surprise there, however, as to date, nobody has received regulatory approval to use cameras over mirrors.

Speaking to Autocar, Klaus Bischoff, VW’s Head of Design, said, “The proportions, the design cues and the wheel size are the same as the concept. It looks like the show car. We couldn’t do the camera-system rear-view mirrors for legal reasons, nor the electric door handles due to cost. But other than that, it’s pretty much the same.”

With that in mind, don’t expect the production model to look just like the concept. First, that interior is way too outlandish and would never be ok on the market – Volkswagen (or any other company for that matter) just wouldn’t bring it to the market. Furthermore, there’s going to have to be some changes to the suspension and the wheel size. The concept car had next to no room for suspension travel and, while the ground clearance of the concept could technically work, it’s not something that would be acceptable to most. After all, it’s the kind of ride height that has people driving diagonally over speed bumps, so they don’t scrape.

On the plus side of things, Volkswagen does promise anywhere between 250 and 375 miles of range and a decent charging time as well. I wouldn’t expect it to be fast or handle the best, but it should still offer up a comfortable, safe ride along with decent interior space for passengers. Now, we just have to see if Volkswagen can get it into production by the end of 2019 and to the streets for a price that’s comparable to similar, fuel-powered vehicles.

Further Reading

Volkswagen ID

Read our full review on the 2018 Volkswagen I.D. Vizzion Concept.

Read our full review on the 2017 Volkswagen I.D. Buzz.

Read our full review on the 2017 Volkswagen I.D. Crozz II

Read our full review on the 2017 Volkswagen I.D. Crozz

Read our full review on the 2016 Volkswagen ID Concept.

Read more Volkswagen news.