While Volkswagen’s ID lineup of electric vehicles is drawing all the attention, the German automaker will have to electrify some of its current models if it wants to reach its lofty electrification goals. With VW hard at work on the next-gen Tiguan, it looks like an all-electric version of the compact SUV could be in the cards.
Recent spy photographers have captured a prototype of the next-gen Tiguan testing. The SUV that was spotted had a few touches we’ve come to expect to see in electric cars. The test vehicle didn’t have any tailpipes and had a front grille that closed off most of the air intakes, leading us to believe that Volkswagen’s test mule was equipped with an electric powertrain.
We expect the next-gen Tiguan to be available with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric powertrains – at least globally. Electrifying existing models is far more affordable for automakers than coming out with all-new EVs. It also gives consumers an affordable way to get into an electric car.
By the looks of the prototype, Volkswagen is in the very early stages of work on the upcoming Tiguan. The compact SUV could arrive as a 2025 model, giving VW plenty of time to tweak powertrains and to come out with a new design. We expect Volkswagen to continue offering the Tiguan in two lengths, but only the long-wheelbase model will be offered in the U.S.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen VW testing an electric powertrain in a Tiguan. Earlier this April, the automaker was spotted testing a white Tiguan with black bumpers and side skirts that looked tacked on. The extra girth and covered-up body panels pointed toward the possibility of an all-electric powertrain. The recent SUV that was spotted testing looked far more polished than the one we saw earlier this year. We expect to see more prototypes in the future as the next-gen Tiguan’s release date approaches.