German automaking giant Volkswagen unveiled a new small electric SUV concept car on Sunday, 7 September 2025, amid rising competition for electric vehicles (EVs) in the industry and the raging Trump tariffs on US imports, reported the news agency Reuters.
According to the agency report, Volkswagen‘s move to unveil the ‘ID.CROSS’ concept car comes at a time when the company is working towards offering affordable battery-powered vehicles despite the shifting consumer demand.
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“We’ve always faced major challenges,” said Volkswagen’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Oliver Blume, highlighting the strong competition and declining demand in the European market.
The executive also highlighted that apart from the tough competition the price war with China and the trade tensions with the United States over the Trump tariffs have been hard for the company’s Audi and Porsche brands.
The new car is part of Europe’s largest automaker’s product offering to introduce around 60 models in the years 2024 and 2025, reported the news agency, citing the CEO Oliver Blume from a media interaction last week.
The compact electric SUV, which is set to have its world premiere in the summer of 2026, is expected to have a price ranging between 28,000 euros ($32,780) and 30,000 euros ($35,121). The company aims to target customers who do not have a big budget for an electric car.
“But we didn’t hold back,” Blume said with regard to the Volkswagen group’s offering, including the ID.Polo hatchback EV which holds the starting price of 25,000 euros.
The company also owns other brands like CUPRA Raval and Skoda’s Epiq SUV for the budget offerings.
According to the agency report, the european automakers are facing tough competition from the Chinese automakers and are in their paths to make affordable electric vehicles in the market.
To cut its operating costs, the company launched a major cost-cutting programme that will result in the layoff of more than 35,000 people. The programme is prompted by falling profits in China and weak demand in Europe, as per the news report.
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