Volkswagen has changed direction once more regarding the future electric Golf. What had previously been planned as a 2028 arrival for the battery-powered Golf Mk9 now looks delayed until at least 2029, following comments made by Volkswagen Group CEO Thomas Schaefer during the FT’s Future of the Car event in London.
The German brand once looked ready to accelerate its EV transition. Volkswagen launched the ID.3 in 2019 as its first dedicated electric model, though software troubles slowed deliveries into late 2020. Those problems spread across the wider EV program afterward, while the MEB architecture stayed in production longer than initially expected.
Last month, Volkswagen technical development boss Kai Grünitz told Motor1 Spain the all-electric Golf Mk9 sat at “96-97 percent done” and said the design “has been finalized.” Back then, the SSP-based hatchback still targeted a 2028 debut. A few weeks later, the timeline shifted again.
Speaking in London on Wednesday, Schaefer confirmed Volkswagen no longer intends to launch the ID. Golf in 2028. “We have a fantastic lineup now that we do not need an electric Golf in 2028,” he told attendees. He added another statement explaining the company’s current position: “We are well set with what we have in our portfolio with our vehicles.”
The delay appears tied to broader SSP platform issues inside Volkswagen Group. According to recent reports mentioned in the source material, Audi and Porsche will receive priority access to SSP development, while Volkswagen-branded models wait longer in line. Schaefer addressed the rollout plan directly: “SSP, we will roll it out across the brands. We will start with the premium brands first… It will start with Audi, then Porsche, then us, and on and on.”
Volkswagen recently introduced the ID. Polo and refreshed the ID.3 Neo, while preparations for the ID. Cross continue. There is another pressure point too. Schaefer admitted stronger competition from Chinese manufacturers forced Volkswagen to rethink EV pricing and “redo the math” surrounding platform investments and material costs.
At this stage, uncertainty still surrounds the combustion-powered Golf Mk9. The ICE version and the electric ID. Golf had originally been scheduled for a simultaneous market arrival, though both vehicles use different platforms and separate production sites. The gasoline-powered Golf rides on the MQB Evo architecture and will be built in Mexico. Production of the SSP-based electric model is planned for Wolfsburg.
For now, Volkswagen appears more focused on stabilizing its existing EV lineup than rushing another major launch into production.
Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk9 Renderings
