At the end of last month, VW announced that it will stop producing R models with internal combustion engines from the next decade. This means that cars like the VW Golf R will disappear and be replaced by electrically powered R models.

In an interview with Auto Express, the head of the Volkswagen R division, Reinhold Ivenz, said that the R models will not be based on the existing MEB electric platform. “We have discussed several concepts in the MEB world and we are not convinced of what we can do with the battery at the moment. If we want a specific MEB R model, it would have to have its own battery, and that is so expensive that we are not currently planning such a car,” Ivenz said.

Although rumors said that ID.3, ID.4, ID. Aero and ID. Buzz could be covered by this decision, it will not happen. So those who want a more powerful crossover will have to wait. However, the good news is that Volkswagen is already working on a new electric platform. “The next-generation electric car platform will allow much more power. The MEB is not that powerful a platform, but we’re not thinking about horsepower, we’re thinking about acceleration. If we want to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4 seconds, we’ll talk about how much is the strength needed to make it happen,” Ivenz said.

Volkswagen will show its first R electric concept in 2024, and the production model is expected at least two years later.

Source: VW