People’s EV’s debut features up to 250 miles range and rear- or full-wheel drive.
The 2021 VW ID.4 crossover is the first long-range electric vehicle from Volkswagen after a long journey toward electrification. The VW ID.4 is a hybrid of the ID.3 coupe and the Hyundai Kona EV . It rides on the company’s MEB platform to compete with the Chevrolet Bolt and Kia Niro electric crossovers. It will be available in the first quarter 2021.
This is not the first EV x Volkswagen effort. The eGolf offered a glimpse into Volkswagen’s all electric ambitions, but it had a 125-mile range, and a $31,895 price. Previous models only had 86 miles. The ID.4 promises 250 miles per charge and all-wheel drive. However, the aforementioned EV competitors are only front-drive models.
The 2021 ID.4 will be standard with an 82-kilowatt hour battery. This is more than the Bolt (66kWh), Niro and Kona (64kWh), Mustang MachE (75.7kWh) and not-acrossover Nissan Leaf Plus (62/kWh). The battery pack with the larger capacity doesn’t have a longer range. Volkswagen claims that the ID.4 can travel 250 miles without a charge. This is less than the Bolt’s 259 and Kona’s 258 respectively, but still more than the Niro’s 239 and base Mach-E’s 233, and the Leaf’s 226, respectively.
Rear-mounted electric motors produce 201 horsepower (150 Kilowatts) or 228 pound-feet (309 Newton-meters). This is comparable to the Kona, Niro and other crossover EVs, but with much less torque than their Korean counterparts (291 lb-ft) or 395 Nm. Although the Bolt produces a little less power (149 kW) but more torque at 266 lbft (361Nm), it has a lot more power.
The Mustang is more sporty than the Niro, with 255 horsepower (190 kW) & 306 lb-ft (415Nm). The ID.4 is beaten by the Nissan Leaf, which has 214 horsepower (160 kW) et 250 lb-ft (339 Nm). It poses the question: Where does the ID.4’s larger battery capacity, if any, end up?
Two-motor configurations are available a few months later than the single-motor model. The addition of a front-mounted electric engine allows EV all-wheel-drive and increases power to a powerful 302 HP (225kW). Torque is still unknown, but we would expect at least 325 lbft (441 Nm) Although it is not clear whether all-wheel drive will decrease overall range, Volkswagen might be able to offset the extra motor’s weight with more efficient power delivery.
To reduce range anxiety in ID.4, shoppers will receive unlimited charging at Electrify America stations across the country for three years. The program was announced by Volkswagen just days before the ID.4 debut. It offers original owners and lessees of the car an almost zero-cost method to charge up. If the VW isn’t disconnected within 10 mins of the end charging, Electrify America may still charge idle fees. This benefit does not extend to commercial customers or rideshare operators. Three years of free charging for the average consumer are still a great perk.
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4’s smart and attractive styling is another plus. The ID.4’s friendly, approachable curves are a welcome change from the more aggressive VW models like the Beetle, Bus, or Karmann Ghia. The modern look of the squinting taillights and headlights is evident with their LED-ringed accents, full-width rear and front light bars, and attractive LED-ringed accents.
The front end, which lacks a front grille other than a bumper-mounted cooling intake and a faux radiator opening, is clean and simple. This avoids the potential pitfalls of a large, blank stare or a huge, empty-faced look. The internals of the headlights are complexly designed with a glowing projector covered in LED textures. An illuminated VW logo is added to the front of the vehicles that are equipped with the $4500 Statement package.
Although the VW ID.4’s side profile features a softly curved shoulder line, crossover-chic black plastic rocker panel and wheel arches add a touch of retro flair to its clean design. White contrasting roof accents, combined with a blackout painted roof, make the SUV appear lower and more sleek. It also makes it look a little bit like a Beetle if you look closely.
The rear view is just as cleanly designed as the front. The only exception to this is the black bumper corner reflector surrounds. Those nacelles would look much more beautiful in body-color. The LED taillight panel is full-width and includes the same geometric inlays that the headlights. It is interrupted by an illuminated VW logo in the middle. The ID.4’s clean, modern design is appealing, distinct, and futuristic from stem to stern.
Inside, the story is almost identical. The steering column houses a 5.3-inch digital display. It’s similar to a trip computer for a bike, but it’s smaller than you would expect from the same company that brought you Volkswagen Digital Cockpit. This minimalist cabin is a great example of this. The display is simple and shows three tiles, which can be reconfigured to show the most important information. Below the tile are the state of charge and range. The instrument cluster is controlled by touch-sensitive controls located on the steering wheel.
These simple gauges let the huge infotainment screen take center stage, both literally and metaphorically. The center stack measures 10.0 inches for base models and 12.0 inches in ID.4 Statement. There are sliders for climate control temperature and volume that can be found just below the screen. The Volkswagen offers some premium features such as standard navigation and no touch gesture control.
The E-VW has 30.3 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row. This can be expanded to 64.2 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded. Strangely, there is no frunk. The E-VW’s luggage volume is still superior to the ID.4’s electric competitors, surpassing their seats-up cargo spaces by 7 to 15 cubes. The VW actually has more space with the rear seat in its place than the Nissan Leaf with it folded. The Volkswagen’s 99 cubic foot of passenger space is also class-leading. This is something zero-emissions families should consider when looking for their next vehicle.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 comes with a wide range of active safety features. The new IQ.Drive suite includes driver-assist technology such as forward collision warning with pedestrian monitoring, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitor, lane-keeping aid, and adaptive cruise controller. The ID.4 also features parking sensors, road sign monitoring, and automatic high beams.
Six airbags protect passengers in the event of a collision. They are frontal and side impact torso airbags, and pair of curtain airbags. We’re still surprised that there are no knee airbags in this age. An extruded aluminum frame protects battery from damage during crashes, while the ID.4 automatically disengages the electrical array in the event of a serious accident. The battery is protected from road debris by a replaceable undertray.
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 will be available in the first quarter next year. The base rear-drive model starts at $39,995, and features piano black interior accents, leather seats, 19-inch wheels, a roof rail, and a body-color roof. The Statement package costs $4,500 and adds some niceties such as a fixed-glass roof, gray leatherette or black leatherette and adaptive front lighting. Power-folding side mirrors can also be added, along with the 12.0-inch infotainment display and illuminated rear badges. The $1,500 Gradient package is at the top of the pile. It can be used in conjunction with Statement, adding 20-inch wheels, black roof, and silver exterior accents.
The Volkswagen ID.4 1st Edition is a great option for early adopters who want to display their forward-thinking. It comes with the Statement and Gradient Packages at $43,995. The 1st Edition will feature unique features such as the electric white interior accents, brake pedal and accelerator pedals with “pause” and “play” symbols, black mirror caps and attractive exterior badges. The 1st Edition offers a $2,000 savings over the loaded Statement/Gradient.
The all-wheel-drive, 302-hp model ID.4 will be available for purchase at $43,695 and go on sale by mid-2021. The base price of the all-wheel-drive, 302-hp ID.4 will be $32,495 rear-drive and $36,195 all-wheel-drive. VW says that this is roughly the same as the Tiguan SE and Tiguan 4Motion SEL.
The ID.4 reservation process opens today. A $100 non-refundable fee is required to reserve your spot. This will allow you to be among the first to purchase Volkswagen’s electric vehicle future. Through a nationwide network of 600 dealers, the 2021 ID.4 will become available in all 50 US states.