- Volkswagen’s electric 2021 ID.4 crossover has been unveiled, and it brings with it 250 miles of range, not a Tesla-beating figure but respectable.
- A 1st Edition model will launch by the end of the year, priced at $45,190, with other variants available in the first quarter of 2021 starting at $41,190.
- An AWD version will be available by the end of 2021 priced starting at $44,890, and VW says a less expensive base version (“around $35,000”) will go on sale in 2022 with a smaller battery pack.
Volkswagen’s electrification strategy is bold. In the wake of Dieselgate, the automaker has spent years trying to push past the emissions-cheating scandal and emerge as something cleaner. VW’s modular electric MEB platform is at the center of that clean initiative, which includes a promise to build one million EVs by 2023 and invest more than $39 billion in the entire VW Group by 2024, including $13 billion on Volkswagen alone. In the United States, that all starts with the ID.4.
The 2021 ID.4 was unveiled today, priced starting at $41,190 with an EPA estimated range of 250 miles. Early adopters of VW’s EV offering can shell out $45,190 for the 1st Edition that will go on sale before the end of the year, while everyone else will have a choice of three trim levels that will go on sale in the first quarter of 2021. The ID.4 will be available in both rear- and all-wheel-drive variants, with the latter not available until later in 2021.
Its closest relative in the VW lineup, of course, is the Tiguan. The ID.4 is 4.6 inches shorter than the Tiguan but has a nearly identical wheelbase, 0.9 inch shorter at 108.9 inches. At 64.4 inches high, it’s almost two inches lower in rear-wheel-drive form than the Tiguan and a half-inch wider. VW says it belongs “squarely in the middle” of the already crowded compact-SUV segment. Its most likely competitors, especially once the lower-priced models come out, will be the Kia Niro EV and the Hyundai Kona Electric, but once federal incentives are factored in, the Toyota RAV4 Prime or the Mazda CX-5 could also be considered competitors for the ID.4 shopper.
Versions
The base trim level, starting at $41,190, will include a 10.0-inch infotainment system display, 19-inch wheels, heated seats and steering wheel, and VW’s IQ Drive driver-assistance package, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automated emergency braking, pedestrian and blind-spot monitoring, and forward-collision warning.
For the first year, all of the ID.4s will be rear-wheel drive with 201 horsepower and 228 lb-ft of torque. The 82.0-kWh battery pack has 77.0 kWh available for daily charging. The reserve is meant to keep the range at the same point longer, with the dead cells being replaced by cells held in reserve. It’s in line with what Audi, also part of the VW Group, is doing with the e-tron.
An AWD version is coming in 2021 starting at $44,890, which will bump up the power to 302 hp. The vehicle will initially be built in Germany, but in 2022, production will move to Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant. At that time, the starting price will drop to $36,195. In the meantime, the automaker is offering two upgrades from the base model in addition to the 1st Edition.
For an additional $4500, the Statement package adds a larger 12.0-inch infotainment display, 12-way leatherette power seats, a panoramic roof, a power tailgate, and premium lighting. Throw another $1500 at Volkswagen for the Gradient package and you can have 20-inch alloy wheels and a bi-color package with a black roof.
The limited-edition $45,190 1st Edition gets all of those options plus the fun Pause/Play pedals, white accents, “1st” badging, a tow hitch (the ID.4 has a tow rating of 2700 pounds), and contrast mirror caps. Plus, of course, it’ll show up in your driveway before the regular versions.
Interior Details
All versions of the vehicle feature VW’s 5.3-inch ID Cockpit. The digital dash cluster uses three frames in the display to show speed, driver assistance information, and navigation. Drivers can opt for all three or just two of the three, with the speedometer always available. The automaker has moved the gearshifter directly to the right and attached it to the display. Twist it forward to go forward and back to go into reverse. A button on the side places it in park.
The infotainment system is housed in a 10.0- or optional 12.0-inch touchscreen on the dash. It has the typical controls for navigation, media, and phones. Volkswagen has added a voice assistant with “Hello ID” as the wake word. The vehicle’s routing includes the option for adding charging points along a path.
An ID Light runs across the dash from A-pillar to A-pillar. It can signal the driver when the driver assistance system is on, indicate when the vehicle is locked, show state of charge while plugged in, and work with the turn-by-turn navigation to show when a turn is coming up.
Charge for Free
Volkswagen announced on Monday that the ID.4 will come with three years of free charging from Electrify America, so keeping the vehicle topped off while on the road shouldn’t be too difficult in most areas with Electrify America continually expanding its network.
When stopped at one of these stations, the ID.4 can accept DC fast charging up to 125 kW. Volkswagen says the vehicle’s state of charge can go from 5 to 80 percent in about 38 minutes while connected to one of these stations.
For those planning on hauling stuff with the electric crossover, it has 30.3 cubic feet of space behind the second row and 64.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. As for the rest of the interior, it’s a minimalist affair but still comfortable based on our short time in the vehicle.
For those planning on joining VW on its path to selling millions of EVs in the next few years, ID.4 preorders are opening today with a $100 refundable deposit for anyone looking to leap into the electrified world.
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Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
