Volkswagen opens pre-orders for its first electric GTI hot hatch, starting at about $45,000

This one is about a car, not a home energy upgrade, so there's not much here that applies to your house. Volkswagen has opened pre-orders for the ID. Polo GTI, its first all-electric version of the GTI hot hatch, priced from 39,995 euros (about $45,000). It's a European release, with no mention of U.S. availability.

The electric GTI uses a front-mounted motor making 222 horsepower, with a 0-to-62-mph time of 6.8 seconds. It runs on the same 52 kWh battery as the standard ID. Polo, giving a range of up to 267 miles on the European testing standard, and it can fast-charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 24 minutes. The car keeps classic GTI styling cues like the honeycomb grille pattern and red front stripe, plus a "GTI" driving mode that adjusts the motor, steering, and suspension at the push of a button.

For homeowners thinking about electric vehicle charging at home, the relevant detail is just the battery size and charging speed, useful if you're weighing how an EV would fit with a home charger or your electricity use, but there's no rebate, incentive, or U.S. pricing news here. Volkswagen also plans to open orders for a second electric GTI, the ID.3 GTI, in early 2027.