Design work on the production version of the Volkswagen ID 2all hatch has been finished and design chief Andreas Mindt claims it looks “even better” than the concept version.

The sub-€۲۵,۰۰۰ (roughly sub-£۲۱,۱۵۰)  electric car will be shown for the first time later this year, with sales starting in 2025. The ID 2all concept was designed in around six weeks, but Mindt said his team had fought hard to make sure the production model closely follows its styling and dimensions.

Mindt said the ID 2all project had passed the design freeze, with the design essentially completed, and “it’s even better [than the concept]. I really like it, and it’s one of the reasons I’m so optimistic for our future”.

Mindt added that the positive reaction to the concept gave them “a lot of tailwind for the production version”. He said: “I could almost force everybody around me by saying: ‘Look at the feedback. We have to turn this into reality. Whatever you say – money saving, whatever – I want this design’.”

The new Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa-e rival will be the first model to use the long-anticipated MEB Entry platform that the Volkswagen Group has developed.

It will also spawn a GTI variant, due for a reveal in 2026. That will take numerous cues from the ID GTI concept unveiled last year. Volkswagen will also use the platform for a higher-riding crossover model known as the ID 2X, which is due in 2025.

Mindt said that model’s design will be distinct from the hatch’s, noting that it will be “more upright, more self-confident. It’s matching 100% to our brand values: it will be stable and likeable with our secret sauce – but in a different way.”

The ID 2all concept measures 4050mm long, making it slightly shorter than the current Polo, but its 2600mm wheelbase is significantly longer, allowing for far greater interior space. It features a 490-litre boot, with 1330 litres of capacity when the rear seats are folded down.