Volkswagen Delivers 1.5 Millionth ID. EV as Global Sales Surge

Volkswagen has officially delivered its 1.5 millionth all-electric ID. model, a milestone reached in under five years since the first ID.3s rolled off the line in 2020. The landmark car was an ID.7 Tourer Pro, presented at VW’s Emden plant in Germany, a site that has become one of the automaker’s biggest electric hubs. It’s a statement that the once diesel-dominated brand has truly pivoted, at least in volume, to electrification.

That said, VW hasn’t been shy about experimenting with its customers, as UK buyers recently discovered when reports revealed Volkswagen UK is locking EV horsepower behind a monthly subscription. For every milestone like this, there’s still a lingering question: how far can VW push the EV experiment before drivers push back?

The milestone delivery took place at Emden, VW’s third EV-dedicated facility after Zwickau and Dresden. More than €1 billion has been invested in converting the plant for electric models, and it now produces the ID.4 and ID.7 for Europe. Add in production from Chattanooga, USA, plus VW’s partnerships in China, and the ID family is now a global proposition.

The ID. range itself has expanded well beyond the hatchback roots of the ID.3, including SUVs, sedans, and even the retro-inspired ID. Buzz. Yet, even with this mass EV rollout, Volkswagen hasn’t forgotten its heritage. Enthusiasts still celebrate models like the Golf R, with oddities such as this one-of-one Volkswagen Golf R fetching attention for its rarity and quirky extras. It shows VW is still balancing nostalgia with forward-looking ambition.

Reaching 1.5 million sales is more than a marketing brag; it highlights the scalability of the MEB platform, VW’s dedicated EV architecture. By building everything from a compact hatch to a full-size tourer off the same bones, VW has achieved economies of scale that few rivals outside of Tesla can match.

Yet, the EV landscape is shifting fast. Customer expectations remain high, and competition from Asia, particularly BYD, is forcing VW to double down on affordability and features. While electrification leads the headlines, the brand knows its ICE legacy still matters. Comparisons like VW Golf GTI vs. Honda Civic Type R continue to shape how enthusiasts see Volkswagen, a reminder that VW’s sporting credibility is as vital as its EV milestones.

The future is already mapped out. The upcoming ID.2 all aims to be the people’s EV in the truest sense, a compact model priced to compete with entry-level petrol cars. With European regulators pushing for stricter CO₂ targets, VW’s momentum is crucial to meeting both sales goals and compliance obligations.

Still, the subscription experiments, pricing pressure, and an increasingly skeptical buying public could challenge VW’s EV dominance in the next five years. For now, though, the 1.5 million milestone is a clear reminder that the ID. family has gone from curiosity to core business in record time.