VW releases more details on ID.4: 300-mile range, first global electric car and more

Fred Lambert | Mar 3 2020 - 8:47 am PT

VW has released more details on its next electric car, ID.4, which is going to be its first global next-gen electric vehicle with 300 miles of range.

At its press conference that is replacing its presence at the canceled Geneva Motor Show, VW confirmed that the ID.4 is going to be an electric SUV based on the ID. CROZZ concept.

Unlike the ID.3, VW’s first car based on its new MEB platform, the ID.4 is going to be available everywhere and also produced everywhere.

Ralf Brandstätter, Chief Operating Officer of the Volkswagen brand, confirmed the news:

“Just like the ID.3, the ID.4 will also come onto the market as a carbon-neutral vehicle. We will produce and sell the ID.4 in Europe, China and the U.S..”

Late last year, the German automaker broke ground on its massive Tennessee EV plant that will produce the ID.4.

Brandstätter also confirmed a range of “up to 500 km” (310 miles):

“The outstanding aerodynamics reduce the drag coefficient, and it will boost the ID.4’s range to up to 500 kilometres, depending on the drive package.”

Although he didn’t confirm the driving cycle on which this estimate is based. We assume he is talking about the WLTP cycle and therefore, we should expect an EPA rating for the higher-end version of the compact SUV between 250 and 300 miles.

Speaking of versions of the electric SUV, VW confirmed a few different configurations of the ID.4 today:

“The ID.4 will initially be launched with rear-wheel drive, while an electric all-wheel drive version will be added to the portfolio at a later date. The high-voltage battery is positioned near the center of the underbody to create a low centre of gravity and an optimum in terms of driving dynamics, along with an extremely well-balanced axle load distribution. Just like all other MEB models, the ID.4 offers plenty of interior space thanks to its compact, electric drive technology. The fully digital cockpit of the zero-emission SUV has been clearly structured. It is operated primarily using touch surfaces and intelligent, intuitive voice control.”

The German automaker also released two new images of the compact electric SUV: