Volkswagen is preparing to launch an electric version of the legendary GTI by 2026.

Volkswagen is preparing to launch an electric version of a GTI in 2026, as revealed by Chief Designer Andreas Mindt.

In a post on Instagram earlier this week, spotted first by Motor1, Mindt stated that the first GTI, based on the Mk1 Golf, was launched in 1975, and that in 2026, an electric version of this iconic sedan will be released.

It is possible that the car will be unveiled a year earlier to mark the 50th anniversary of the original Golf GTI.

Mindt’s post included a sketch showing the original Golf GTI alongside VW’s ID.GTI concept unveiled in September and already confirmed for production.

However, it is unlikely that the ID.GTI concept will be badged as a Golf GTI in its production form. The compact dimensions of the concept indicate that it could anticipate a replacement for the Polo GTI, just as the related ID.2all concept, presented in March, likely previews a replacement for the regular Polo.

In September, VW stated that it plans to launch an electric Golf, and this model will likely offer a GTI variant, although the electric Golf will not arrive before 2028 at the earliest, as that is when its SSP platform is scheduled to be ready.

Test prototypes for the production ID.2all using modified bodies from the larger ID.3 have been spotted. The vehicle, and likely any GTI version, will use a new platform derived from the current MEB design, found in vehicles like the ID.3 and ID.4. The new platform, called MEB Entry, is shorter than the regular MEB platform and features a single front motor.

In the ID.2all, the motor is rated at 222 hp, and the concept’s battery is advertised by VW to offer 280 miles according to the WLTP test cycle used overseas. A lower value would result from using the stricter EPA cycle. VW has not provided specifications for the related ID.GTI concept, but has stated that it also features a single front motor.

Crossover enthusiasts can also anticipate an offering based on VW’s MEB Entry platform in 2026.

Ironically, the “I” in GTI stands for “injection” of fuel, a technology that will clearly not be present in the electric GTI. Similarly, Porsche uses a “Turbo” badge on its Taycan, a name that also denotes a technology for gasoline vehicles rather than electric vehicles.

With information from Motor Authority