Volkswagen unveils ID Polo electric car in Burgenland

Volkswagen has unveiled its new ID Polo electric car in Donnerskirchen, a town in the Eisenstadt-Umgebung district, ORF reported. The German carmaker hopes the model will help secure its long-term future.

Volkswagen selected Donnerskirchen for the presentation because of its landscape, driving opportunities and proximity to Schwechat Airport, according to the company’s development chief, Kai Grünitz.

Volkswagen is facing the threat of tens of thousands of job losses, while several plant closures are under consideration, ORF reported. The company is now seeking growth in the rapidly expanding electric car market.

“I believe that the Volkswagen Polo is an important building block in making Volkswagen fit for the future in the long term,” Grünitz said.

The potential of the electric car market remains significant. In Austria, one in five newly registered cars was electric last year, while in Burgenland the figure was almost one in four. Across Europe, electric cars accounted for just under 19 percent of new registrations.

Volkswagen hopes the ID Polo will create further growth opportunities. The target price was set at 25,000 euros to make the car affordable for a broad group of buyers.

More than 350 journalists and influencers from 29 countries were invited to Donnerskirchen to introduce the car to audiences across Europe. Grünitz called the town the perfect location for the presentation.