Volkswagen’s Navarra plant has started building the ID Cross, marking a major step in the group’s move to electric cars. This puts Spain and Portugal at the center of Volkswagen’s European EV plans.
Volkswagen’s Navarra factory has started mass production of the ID Cross, the brand’s first electric SUV built at Landaben. This isn’t just another model launch. It finishes Volkswagen’s big overhaul in Spain and opens a new chapter for the group’s work across the Iberian Peninsula. EFE reports the first ID Cross rolled off the line on September 18, 2026. It’s the first fully electric Volkswagen made at this plant. The first car was a Life trim with a 155 kW electric motor, painted Verde Nori.
The ID Cross is more than just a new car. It’s the last piece in a four-model electric project that now brings Volkswagen, Škoda, and Cupra together under one production plan. Navarra is already building the Škoda Epiq, while Martorell handles the Volkswagen ID Polo and Cupra Raval. All four use the same platform, aimed at making electric cars easier to buy for European customers. Several independent sources confirm that with the ID Cross launch, Volkswagen’s Spanish production network is now fully electrified.
By the time series production began, the Navarra plant had already received around 10,000 pre-orders for the ID Cross, indicating strong demand even before the official rollout.
Navarra can now build four models at once—two electric, two combustion. CEO Thomas Schäfer said at the launch, "very few plants in the world can do this." The first ID Cross, a green nori Life trim, is headed to Germany. But the model will ship to 34 countries, making the Spanish plant a key supply point for Volkswagen’s electric push. EFE and other outlets confirm the ID Cross will be sold in 34 markets, with the first car going to Germany.
The changes behind the scenes have been huge. Volkswagen put over €1 billion into electrifying the Navarra plant. The company rebuilt production lines, retrained workers, and got ready to add about 1,000 new jobs. The bigger project, which includes the gigafactory in Sagunt, totals €10 billion in investment. Training alone took more than 290,000 hours. Cinco Días reports this investment finishes the plant’s shift to electric vehicle production.
Local media say Navarra will build about 24,300 ID Cross units from September through the end of 2026. The plant wants to beat its record of 353,353 vehicles set in 2011. With its new flexibility, it can adjust as the market keeps both electric and combustion models on the road.
The Navarra plant’s production lines now simultaneously assemble both combustion-engine models (T-Cross and Taigo) and electric vehicles (ID Cross and Škoda Epiq), demonstrating a high degree of operational flexibility that is rare in the automotive industry.
Volkswagen now treats the Iberian Peninsula as one industrial region, linking up operations in Pamplona, Martorell, and Palmela (Portugal). André Kleb, head of Production for the region, said this approach is raising the profile of Spain and Portugal inside the group. The next goal is to build over one million vehicles a year across the three plants.
For Navarra, this launch matters for both the factory and its workers. President Michael Hobusch called the ID Cross rollout "the culmination of a transformation" that makes the plant more competitive and protects jobs. The regional government and labor groups have both called the project a milestone for local industry and employment. EFE says the launch event brought together top officials, including the president of Volkswagen Navarra, Navarre government head María Chivite, and Spain’s central authorities, showing the project’s political and economic weight.
In recent years, Volkswagen Navarra has poured record investments into the plant. In 2025 alone, €289.1 million went in, with €220.2 million set aside for the new electric models. This money has helped the factory branch out and stay relevant as the car industry moves toward electrification.
Spain’s car sector is changing fast. As the DGT gets ready to roll out new license plate series, as reported earlier, the country’s manufacturing is also finding a new direction. Volkswagen’s big investment in electric mobility isn’t just a technical upgrade. It’s a clear bet on Spain and Portugal as the backbone of its European production network.
The facts are clear. Volkswagen’s Navarra plant has moved from only making combustion cars to a future where electric and traditional engines share the same floor. Backed by billions in investment and a unified regional plan, the Iberian Peninsula is now a powerhouse in the group’s global plans. The ID Cross is more than a new model. It shows that Spain’s factories are ready to lead the next phase of European car manufacturing.
