Ever since VW confirmed plans to build a small-electric city car with a sub-€20,000 price point, we’ve been looking out for a potential name, and we think this might be it: the VW N!ce.
Originally filed in May 2023, the trademark was registered and published just last week with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The trademark falls under Classification 12, for a range of motorized vehicles and parts thereof.
What makes us think this could be the name of VW’s new diminutive EV? Well, the exclamation mark in the name is a clear link to the German marque’s Europe-only city cars the up! and e-up!
Both models were discontinued at the end of last year after 12 years on the market. The all-electric variant of the excellent VW up! boasted a respectable 160-mile range and was on sale in Germany for almost €27,000 before government incentives kicked in.
VW’s replacement for the little EV is set to arrive in 2027 with a far lower entry point and a 200-mile range.
VW brand boss, Thomas Schäfer, is promising “electromobility for all” while attempting to compete with a slew of super-affordable EVs entering the market from China.
“Despite the attractive price,” Schäfer continued, “our vehicles will set standards in the entry-level segment in terms of technology, design, quality and customer experience.”
The new model will be “from Europe, for Europe” built locally to keep costs down and will be marketed at first-car buyers.
Oliver Blume, VW Group chief, said: “Generations of people associate the strong brands of the Volkswagen Group with their first car – and with affordable mobility. As a group with strong brands, we continue to assume this social responsibility to this day.”
VW revealed the ID 2all concept last year at around the same time the N!ce name was first registered. Currently codenamed ID.1, the new electric city car, according to technical development boss Kai Grünitz, “will be close to the Up regarding the usage of that car. There aren’t so many possibilities to design a small vehicle for cities in terms of what it looks like. It will be a car that fits into the Volkswagen brand design DNA and functionality DNA but at a lower price.”
The car will likely lack the interior tech and functionality of more premium VW models, with a modestly sized interior that belies its pocket-size proportions. In short, it will be a n!ce little car aimed at youngsters at the start of what the brand will hope to be a lifelong car-buying journey with Volkswagen.
