Volkswagen Foray Into The World Of Zero-Emission Electric Vehicles Could Not Have Commenced Better, Given The Sell-Out Of Its All-Electric ID.3 Car. The German Group Is Now Pushing Its Second All-Electric Vehicle, The ID.4 Compact SUV. Its Most Important EV For The Mass-Market!
The Volkswagen all-electric ID.4 compact SUV is expected to be a game changer for many key electric driving international markets. As an example, in the United States, though the Tesla Model 3 electric car and the all-electric Nissan Leaf EV have been very successful, the Volkswagen ID.4 green SUV meets a customer need that is yet to be served.
The Nissan Leaf pure electric car is simply small compared to the requirements of an average US family, and the Tesla electric cars, less affordable for the average US household. The Volkswagen electric ID. Family ID.4 is potentially the right size at an attractive price for mass-scale mainstream adoption! Volkswagen was expected to launch the ID.4 EV in the US in December 2020, but has now postponed to March 2021. The reason: the German company is focussing on European deliveries!
Back to ‘size’ and ‘cost’: though in the UK we are not as demanding on ‘size’, we expect size to be an important selling point for families. Of course, an attractive price is key in achieving mass-scale adoption of the electric vehicle model.
Series production of the all-electric VW ID.4 commenced in August 2020 at the company’s factory in Zwickau (Germany). The ID.3 VW hatchback electric car is also being manufactured at this location. The all-electric ID.4 SUV will also be manufactured in the US (2022) and China. According to Thomas Ulbrich, a Volkswagen board member, “Given the major societal challenges of recent months, the successful start of ID.4 series production is an exception achievement.” The ID.4 is the second electric vehicle to use the MEB platform.
We at e-zoomed have said this before and will say it again. It is remarkable to witness the turnaround in the reputation of the German automotive behemoth within a few years, from the Dieselgate or Emissiongate scandal, that rocked the company and the broader automotive sector in 2015.
The Group is fast becoming a credible leader in the global migration to emission-free road transportation, with the launch of its all-electric family of vehicles, named the VW ID.Family. The Group is predicted to become the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer by 2028. VW has committed to an investment up to EUR 30 billion by 2023 to execute the company’s electrification strategy. VW aims to sell up to 3 million electric vehicles by 2025.
The Wolfsburg headquartered multinational group also owns the famed luxury automotive company, Porsche AG, that has Bill Gates as a customer for its first BEV, the all-electric Porsche Taycan.
- The Volkswagen family-friendly electric SUV will be available in two EV battery sizes: 52 kWh (Pure) and 77 kWh (Pro). Initially only the 77 kW EV battery option will be available in the launch model (ID.4 1st Edition and 1st Edition Max) . The 77 kWh battery is expected to achieve an emission-free electric range of 310 miles (WLTP) on a full charge (the 52 kWh EV variant is expected to have a range of 224 miles). Performance: 210 bhp, 229 lb ft, 8.5 sec 0-62 mph.
- The pure electric SUV can be charged at home via a dedicated home charging station like EVBox. As most homes in the UK are single phase, maximum charging will be up to 7.4 kW. The ID.4 1st EV is capable of rapid charging (125 kW) at public electric car charging points (add up to 199 electric miles in just 30 minutes).
- For those families with outdoor activities, the ID.4 fits well. The green SUV has an optional towing bracket designed for loads up to 750 kg (unbraked) or 1,000 kg (braked).
- The ID.4 features ‘panoramic views’ with a glass panel stretching the entire width of the roof. Features in the ID.4 1st will also include a reversing camera, 20″ Drammen alloy wheels, navigation system and radio. The electric SUV will compete head-on with the all-electric Hyundai Kona and the all-electric Kia e-Niro.
- The ID.4 continues to retain a strong resemblance to the ID.Crozz concept vehicle, on which it is based. The VW ID.4 is also based on the VW modular electric vehicle MEB platform. The MEB platform will underpin 27 electric vehicles by end 2022. The all-electric ID.3 also uses the MEB architecture.
- The ID. Crozz is an all-electric crossover based on the VW MEB platform and part of the VW ID. Family of electric vehicles. The electric vehicle combines the strength of an SUV with the elegance of a coupe.
- Initially, the VW ID.4 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) will only be available in a rear-wheel drive variant, with an all-wheel drive model to follow. Deliveries for the right-hand-drive VW ID.4 for the UK market are expected in early 2021. Price expected to begin from £45,800. The 1st Edition EV will be eligible for the UK plug-in car grant (PiCG) of £3,000. However, the 1st Edition Max will not be eligible as it is over the £50,000 PiCG threshold. The 52kW ID.4 is expected to be priced around £35,000 and is expected to be available later in 2021.
- The ID. Crozz prototype was unveiled at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show (April). The ID. Crozz II was shown at the 2017 Frankfurt International Motor Show (September).
We at e-zoomed are more than happy to assist you buying your Next Green Car and with all your EV needs, to include:
- Compare and buy your next green car
- Compare and buy home EV charging points UK
- Compare and buy best electric car insurance deals in the UK
- Compare and buy best electric car breakdown cover in the UK
- Compare and buy green electricity for your home and electric vehicle
- Compare and buy best priced electric car charging cables and EV accessories
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