British media outlet Autocar has reported that the series production of German automaker Volkswagen (VW)’s compact electric car in Polo size is not likely to be commenced before 2023.

The Polo-sized compact electric car planned by Volkswagen will be based on the automaker’s MEB electric platform, and will be priced at less than EUR 20,000. The car will likely be produced by Volkswagen at the Emden factory, at an expected annual production rate of 200,000 units.

Autocar’s report about the projected 2023 launch of Volkswagen’s small and affordable electric car is based on the details shared by the automaker’s CEO Herbert Diess at the IAA event held recently in Germany.

Diess told Autocar that the planned production of the Polo-format small electric car by Volkswagen makes “a lot of sense” from the ecological perspective. Diess also added alongside that the launch of the vehicle before 2023 was unlikely.

According to the Autocar report, the small electric car will seemingly have the ID.1 serial version, and will “probably only offered with front-wheel drive.” The small car -- with a speculated driving range of “more than 300 kilometres” -- will probably be accompanied by a ID.2 compact SUV, which is also expected to hit the markets in 2023 or 2024.