German carmaker Volkswagen is reversing its recent strategy of naming its electric vehicles under the “ID” badge, signaling a return to traditional model names. While the shift to electric mobility brought a fresh naming approach, it also distanced the brand from its iconic models — leading to confusion among consumers.
Volkswagen's head of marketing and sales, Martin Sander, recently told Auto Und Wirtschaft that the company would move away from names like “ID.2all” and “ID.Every1” in production versions. Instead, new model names will be announced closer to their launch dates. This hints at a possible return of historic names like Golf, Passat, or Polo—even in their electric variants.
This move underlines a growing realization in the industry: that customer loyalty and emotional connection to traditional names are too valuable to discard. For many, a model name isn’t just a label—it represents trust, familiarity, and identity.
Audi, another Volkswagen Group brand, underwent a similar reversal. Initially, it planned to use double-digit numbers for electric cars and single digits for combustion engines. But after pushback, it reverted to using familiar labels like “E-Tron” and “TFSI.”
Volkswagen’s latest decision, therefore, is not merely about branding—it reflects a broader strategy that values consumer perception, loyalty, and legacy in the era of electrification.