With its I.D., I.D. Buzz (pictured), and I.D. Crozz concepts, Volkswagen has already teased some intriguing ideas for how it might take a portion of its lineup in an all-electric direction. Together, they?re more than auto-show concoctions or vaporware; it?s quite likely that multiple variants of the I.D. family will be produced and that several versions will find their way to the U.S. market, as the California portion of Volkswagen?s diesel-emissions settlement has some interesting language: a requirement for several new, distinct electric-vehicle models.
A presentation slide, recently leaked from a dealer meeting in Germany and obtained by the Dutch website Autoblog.nl, outlines five models in a proposed I.D. family as part of a new-product rollout that would happen from 2019 through 2022. According to that presentation, an I.D. small car would be bound for Europe only, while a coupelike crossover variant, the I.D. Cross, would be sold in Europe and China. They would be followed by two models bound for the United States and China, the Lounge and the AEROe, neither of which has even been teased yet as a concept.

The I.D. Lounge seems to be a more upright crossover, likely with four doors; the second is the I.D. AEROe, seemingly a low-slung sporty car. At the far end of the I.D. chronology sits the I.D. Buzz?the quirky, well-received spaceship-meets-Microbus concept from this year?s Detroit auto show. That model has recently been confirmed as production bound, althou...