As suggested by the ID Crozz concept, the rear-wheel-drive model is expected to offer up to 201bhp and 229lb ft of torque from its rear-mounted electric motor. The four-wheel-drive model will add a front-mounted motor with an additional 101bhp and 103lb ft, taking its overall output to 302bhp and 332lb ft.
The ID 4 will offered with a range of different battery options, the largest of which, a rumoured 83kWh unit, will offer a range of up to 311 miles on the WLTP test cycle.
It will also offer rapid-charging capability that will allow its battery to be charged to an 80% state of charge within 30min on a 125-150kW system.
There will be two versions of the ID 4: a standard model and a coupé-SUV in the vein of the original concept, expected to be named the ID 5. This will be revealed at a later date.
"As early as 2020, we aim to sell 100,000 all-electric Volkswagens [per year]," said Volkswagen Group chairman Herbert Diess at the Crozz concept's 2017 unveiling. "But this is just the beginning. By 2025, annual sales could increase tenfold to one million vehicles."
The ID 4 and ID 5 aim to combine the dynamic lines of a modern-day sports car with the all-terrain capability of a dedicated off-roader. They're said to offer interior space on a par with the Tiguan Allspace, a long-wheelbase version of Volkswagen's best-selling SUV model.
The ID Crozz concept is 4625mm long, 1891mm wide and 1609mm tall, putting it in between the five-seat Tiguan and seven-seat Tiguan Allspace in terms of dimensions. The wheelbase is 2773mm.
The MEB-based ID Crozz features two electric motors – one mounted within the front axle, and one at the rear - powered by an 83kWh lithium ion battery housed within the floor structure. The front electric motor sends its 101bhp and 103lb ft to the front wheels. The rear unit delivers 201bhp and 228lb ft to the rear wheels, giving the car a combined output of 302bhp and 332lb ft of torque.
This is just under 100bhp more than the powertrain used by the rear-wheel-drive ID hatchback, intended to offset a likely weight increase. The ID 4 is set to have a range of more than 311 miles, with no specific figure yet quoted. No performance figures have been revealed, although Volkswagen says it intends limiting the top speed to 112mph.
With the car's large battery mounted low down within the floor structure and the electric motors also housed within the axle assemblies front and rear, Volkswagen also claims it possesses a front-to-rear weight distribution of 48:52. Volkswagen officials have talked up the dynamic qualities, suggesting the new platform and chassis provide a “large spread between handling and comfort”.
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Has there been a single week in the past three years (the first comment on those article is from Sept 2017) without a new or reposted story about the VW ID range on Autocar? I really think it's unlikely. Given they are only just (or still not quite?) delivering the very first ID3s, that's a hell of a lot of marketing/advertising, especially as so many 'stories' are as insightful as 'aerodynamics were an important consideration when styling this car'.
I'm excited by the EV revolution, and even by some of these ID concepts, the Buzz looks great, but please stop this Autocar.
“As if shaped by the the Wind”
That line says all that's wrong with design today.
OK, slight rear-weight bias!
In production form it looks bit SUV-ish which probably is good commerce today. I was wondering how rear-wheel driven car would drive in snow and slippery conditions. However as the bias is just a bit to the rear, the key for traction after all is for the driven wheels to have enough percentage of the weight over them, so it should drive well enough after all in snow -- like the VW Beetle all these years back. Still, in slippery conditions that also means -- rear biased handling, meaining -- over-steer. Guess all the electronics are to take care of the driver in such a case. Still, if steering is accurate enough and direct enough, you should be able to catch the rear end before the car heads into the wilderness -- with rear end taking the lead. The looks of the car to my eyes seem -- contemporary. Which shall be important for sales. So claimed by some bit boring, however this vehicle is clearly intended to carry the major sales for Volkswagen into the future -- you simply don't take risks you don't need to with such a key vehicle. Volkswagen however could afford to do that, with specialized versions created on that same platform. Inevitably WAG style there shall be pletora of different vehicles under the entire line of brands, ample opportunity for style experimentation if Volkswagen sensibly avoids that -- for it's most important variant of that new chassis.