Volkswagen claims that it is “not afraid” of the threat of any Apple Car, and has released this shadowy picture that may be the reason. The image is a preview of Project Trinity, an electric sedan that CEO Ralf Brandstätter called “our software dream car.”
Like a concept in the air, it’s naturally designed in anticipation of advanced self-driving capability, long-range electric propulsion systems and fast-charging battery technology, but the software is where it’s the plans. According to VW, the plan is to start with this car in 2026, as part of a vehicle range with fewer variants and where everything is standardized.
What this means is that instead of building multiple versions of the same car with different capabilities, they will build one version with everything included, but only unlockable “on demand” – and probably for a fee. Tesla has already shown something like this with driver support techniques available to unlock after the car is purchased, while BMW has tried to sell and expand features with a subscriber model. As Autoblog points out that VW’s version could expand to features such as AWD, or unlocking GTI planes and handling packages in the short term or even per kilometer.
According to the CEO, “In the future, the individual configuration of the vehicle will no longer be determined by the hardware at the time of purchase. Instead, customers can add features on demand at any time via the digital ecosystem in the vehicle.”