Win for South Africa and Polo? Volkswagen delays ID.2all till 2026

Set to have replaced the Polo in Europe from next year, Volkswagen has reportedly pushed the introduction of the production all-electric ID.2all to 2026 as a result of the European Union’s relaxed emission regulations implemented in September last year.

Pressure off?

Although still due to be gazetted in 2025, the contentious Euro 7 emissions requirements, which favours electric vehicles above combustion engines, underwent a number of adjustments in said month, of which the exact details were never made public.

ALSO READ: Euro 7 emissions ‘relaxed’ ahead of 2025 implementation

A move welcomed by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, the “watered-down” regulations look set to prolong the Polo’s lifecycle by another a year, and therefore to the benefit of the Kariega Plant in the Eastern Cape which manufacturers and exports it in both right-and-left-hand-drive to the Old Continent.

While the uncovering of the ID.2all’s delayed introduction by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport doesn’t provide in-depth detail, the report alleges an official premiere will still take place next year, though with mass-market assembly commencing in May 2026.

ID.2 family

A move that will see the ID.2all debuting in the same year as the ID.2all SUV that will replace T-Cross, the production variant is expected to differ little from the concept externally, but could receive a revised interior as well as an expanded array of battery packs.

In concept guise, the unspecified battery and front electric motor develops a combined 166 kW, 19 kW more than the South African-spec Polo GTI, and 14 kW up on the European-market equivalent.

Equally as well known is that the ID.2all will get an electrified GTI model previewed by the ID. GTI Concept at the IAA in Munich last September, but only around 2027 and with expected more grunt than not only the Polo, but also the outgoing Golf 8 GTI.

Benefitting South Africa

As it stands, the ID.2all’s halted introduction will have little impact on South Africa from a sales perspective, but well on a production standpoint based on it appearing certain that the Polo will stay in rotation until at least the middle of 2025.

Despite the automaker’s much publicised local market challenges highlighted by group CEO Thomas Schafer three months ago, the apparent continuation of the Polo, alongside the Polo Vivo beyond 2025, silences fears of Volkswagen departing South Africa as recent murmurs have alleged in spite of Wolfsburg making it clear it has no plans to do so anytime soon.

Seemingly still set on introducing a third model, still only known to be an “SUV-type” vehicle alongside the Polo and Polo Vivo from 2026, a more detailed announcement, including on the impact of the ID.2all postponement, is likely to be made within the coming weeks.

NOW READ: EV ‘Polo of the future’ Volkswagen ID.2all revealed