Volkswagen Project Trinity – VW’s Model 3 Fighter, for 2026
By Edward A. Sanchez – March 5, 2021
Volkswagen announced its “Project Trinity” today and released a silhouette showing what looks like a fastback sedan. With this new concept, VW promises “new standards in terms of range, charging speed and digitization,” as well as the promise of Level 4 (hands-off, eyes-off) driving. “Trinity” refers to three key attributes of the new platform: A new electronics platform and software, simplification of the supply structure, and fully networked and “intelligent” production at the Wolfsburg plant where the model will be built.
I will spare you the lofty language and idealistic adjectives used in the rest of the press release. Long story short, it sounds like VW is essentially aiming for a Tesla Model 3 competitor by 2026, roughly five years from now. Unknown and unaddressed is whether or not Project Trinity replaces or builds upon the MEB platform. Likewise, the promise of Level 4 autonomy is conditioned by the caveat that the vehicle will be “technically ready” for Level 4, but will launch in 2026 with Level 2+, or roughly where Tesla Autopilot and GM Super Cruise are today.
Not to throw cold water on VW’s hopes and aspirations, but I’ve been in the industry long enough to know that it’s easy for companies to release statements full of triumphalist language and promises. It’s a little harder to bring all of those promises to fruition.
Announcements are one thing, but actually bringing vehicles – like VW’s ID concept family – to production has proven to be another.
As the saying goes, “You have to walk before you can run.” VW, while earnest in its electrification efforts, still has a long way to go. The company has publicly struggled to implement its OTA software updates, and embarrassingly, has not even perfected the user experience with its Electrify America fast-charging network.
YouTube channel Engineering Explained host Jason Fenske recently drove a Volkswagen ID.4, and had to go through five separate steps to initiate charging on the Electrify America network, whereas the Ford Mustang Mach-E was able to start charging immediately upon plugging the vehicle in. Keep in mind, Electrify America is essentially a de facto division of Volkswagen of America. Fenske’s direct quote was: “It is absolutely mind-blowing that Volkswagen created this charging network, and a Ford Mustang Mach-E works better on it than their own car. That’s crazy.”
Not to throw jingoistic shade on Volkswagen, but the German automakers in general have a tendency to make triumphalist statements about being the biggest, best, or preemptively proclaiming themselves market leaders when they barely have products on the market. Leadership is earned, not simply proclaimed. It is usually a years-long, hard-fought process with plenty of failures, and lessons learned along the way.
I genuinely wish Volkswagen the best of luck with its Project Trinity initiative and hope they do become one of the leaders in electrification. But as the examples with the company’s OTA updates and kludgy charging experience with Electrify America demonstrate, the company has a long way to go to being able to declare leadership in EVs with any degree of believability.
(Images courtesy Volkswagen)
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