Volkswagen unveils the ID. Out!, claiming it's "the path forward"
Volkswagen has announced plans to rename its ID series, moving away from the alphanumeric acronyms like ID.x towards more recognizable and traditional model designations. This shift comes in response to industry experts advocating for clearer, more relatable model names to improve customer understanding and brand recognition.
Currently, the electric lineup of Volkswagen features the "ID." prefix followed by a number or name, such as the ID.4 and ID.Buzz. However, there is a growing consensus within the industry that such acronyms are less intuitive and harder for consumers to remember or relate to compared to traditional model names.
Familiar designations offer several benefits, including helping customers immediately associate the vehicle with a known class, size, or lineage, supporting brand loyalty and easier market positioning. They also enhance easier communication and marketing by avoiding technical-sounding acronyms that may confuse buyers. Moreover, they align with historical naming conventions that have proven effective for decades in the automotive industry.
Volkswagen has already introduced model names like the ID.Buzz and ID.7, which are clearer and more model-specific than a simple numeric or acronym code, indicating an ongoing evolution away from the generic ID.x style.
Auto expert Stefan Reindl criticizes the use of acronyms like ID.4, stating they are perceived as internal development designations, not strong brands. VW's brand chief, Thomas Schäfer, believes that iconic names should not be allowed to die. Helena Wisbert, professor of automotive economics at Ostfalia University, agrees, stating that the ID series was not successful in its naming.
The ID.2 is the first model in the ID series to receive a new name, but the exact names of the other models are yet to be revealed. Volkswagen plans to unveil the new names after the International Automobile Exhibition (IAA) in September.
Stefan Reindl suggests a Polo with an electric drive as a clearer, more emotional, and more brand-oriented option for customers compared to an ID.2. Wisbert believes that focusing on names associated with VW promises like reliability, durability, and timeless design will be key to the success of the new names.
Whether this new strategy will be successful is yet to be determined, but it is clear that Volkswagen is taking steps to improve customer understanding and brand recognition by moving towards more traditional model designations.
In response to the criticisms of industry experts, Volkswagen is ditching the ID series' acronymic naming structure, such as the ID.4, in favor of traditional model names, like the Polo with electric drive, to strengthen brand recognition and customer understanding. This shift is expected to enhance easier communication and marketing by using recognizable nomenclature, following the successful historical naming conventions in the automotive industry.
