Ready to take Volkswagen’s latest electric car for a drive?

Qatar will be the first market in the Middle East to receive Volkswagen’s brand new mid-sized ‘ID.4’ electric SUV.

The car’s entrance to the region comes a little over a year after its launch in the United Kingdom, but will still serve as one of the few electric options available on the market. Its presence, the company says, will play a role in creating a supporting infrastructure needed to grow the electric vehicle market in the country.

The new vehicle is part of the ‘Volkswagen ID’ series, better known as the ID family, that consists of a range of battery-electric cars built on the modular electric-drive toolkit platform.

It stands for “intelligent design, identity, and visionary technologies” and is the first series of electric cars from VW that are purpose-built from the ground up to be electric vehicles.

Most of the cars were launched in Europe, China, and North America. Now, the company is adding the Middle East to the list, with Qatar being the first to see the car in all its sustainable actions.

Last year, the German company announced its plans to invest almost $19 billion in future trends such as ‘e-mobility, hybridisation and digitalisation’ by 2025.

Victor Dalmau, managing director of Volkswagen Middle East, also revealed to Arabian Business in the same year his company’s plan to bring electric vehicles to the region in ‘two-or-three years.’

The car’s starting price is among the highest in the electric SUV class, costing around $40,000. However, it is yet to be officially announced how much the exact cost will be in Qatar. 

Audi already has four full-electric models in Doha, with the e-Tron and the e-Tron GT model lineup.

The $1mn investment

Volkswagen Group has been working relentlessly to shift towards greener initiatives to ensure a better future for the upcoming generations— and they’re bringing their vision to the region.

In March, the group agreed on a one million dollar investment with the Gulf nation in an effort to develop the country’s charging infrastructure and encourage clean and sustainable mobility.

The investment will be used to develop charging infrastructure in the country in coordination with local partners and authorities.

The same month also saw the opening of VW’s new regional headquarters at Msheireb Downtown under the name Volkswagen Group Middle-East QFZ LLC (VWGME).

The shift aimed to reaffirm the significant value Doha and the region represents to the company. The investment, on the other hand, came in line with the global VW Group strategy that aims to push for a greener future.

Shift to electric

The Gulf nation has been shifting towards electric cars as a better and more sustainable mobile alternative. The move comes as part of the country’s  2030 national vision, which aims to develop a sustainable and high standard of living for its population and future generations.

By 2030, Qatar will have 100% electric public transportation. Meanwhile, by the end of this year, the country plans to convert 25% of its public transport to electric energy, just in time for the FIFA World Cup 2022.