VW Confirms Electric Golf, Delays Flagship Project Trinity

Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schäfer confirms the German automaker’s much-touted Project Trinity battery-electric vehicle has been placed on the back burner as it accelerates plans for a future electric-powered hatchback. The new model, carrying the iconic Golf name, will feature software developed in partnership with California-based BEV start-up Rivian.

In a significant shift in its BEV and software development process, VW has partnered with Rivian to create next-generation models, including the ninth-generation Golf, which Schäfer says is slated for release in 2029 as an electric model.

Through its Cariad software division, VW will collaborate with Rivian to advance power electronics and other software-related components of the new Scalable Systems Platform, Schäfer tells WardsAuto. The first brands within the Volkswagen Group to introduce the 800V architecture will be Porsche and Audi, with plans to roll it out in 2027.

However, Schäfer emphasizes that the main focus of the VW-Rivian partnership is the next Golf, which will, for the first time, be sold with an electric powertrain alongside the carryover eight-gen Golf powered by a traditional internal-combustion engine. The current Golf will remain in production with updated ICE and plug-in hybrid drivetrains, as well as new features and styling, until at least 2035.

The ninth-generation Golf is expected to represent a major step in Volkswagen’s BEV transition and product lineup evolution. While further details about the new hatchback remain under wraps, Schäfer does not rule out the possibility of it replacing the ID.3, which is scheduled for a facelift in 2026.

During a recent media briefing, Schaefer elaborates on the new development process, explaining that the ninth-gen Golf will be the first VW to implement a “software-defined vehicle” electronics platform developed in collaboration with Rivian.

“We decided to begin this journey with a more iconic product. The Golf will be our starting point,” Schäfer says. He also reveals that the electric Golf will be a “real volume product,” underscoring VW’s commitment to producing a mainstream electric vehicle – something, he notes, the earlier Project Trinity was not designed to be.

Project Trinity, initially intended to serve as VW's flagship software-defined vehicle, has been delayed due to shifting priorities, Schäfer says.

The ambitious project, originally planned for launch in 2026 and later delayed to 2028, has now been pushed back to 2032 – some 11 years after it was first announced in 2021. 

Schäfer explains that the Trinity was never meant to be a high-volume vehicle, which influenced the decision to delay it as the company reconsiders its development strategy.

Additionally, VW has reversed its plan to build a new greenfield factory for Project Trinity, which started as a liftback-style sedan but has since transitioned into an SUV-style crossover. Instead, the company opted to modernize an existing plant in Zwickau, Germany.

This shift, Schäfer notes, has proven to be a wise move amid current economic challenges, supply chain uncertainties and slower-than-expected adoption rates of electric vehicles.