7/23/2023 0 Comments Volkswagen electric crossover![]() ![]() The single-motor 1st Edition brings 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque. Where many EV makers (Porsche, Hummer, Lucid) shoot from the gate with their priciest and most powerful AWD halo versions, Volkswagen’s opening salvo is a relative popgun. The big-tent philosophy seems to extend to the ID.4’s launch strategy. The ID.4 shrugs off any imperative to dazzle with on-road dynamics or Tesla-baiting acceleration. VW performance junkies may be especially disappointed. But as I said at the Bolt’s launch, there’s no sense of “gotta have” in the ID.4’s exterior design, few surprises in its roomy, yet segment-predictable interior. That’s no crime per se, especially with the automaking world on a Marshall Plan-mission to bring EVs into mainstream reach. Like the Chevy Bolt before it, a closer analog than many will care to admit, this crossover feels engineered to its electric price point. If anything ends up kneecapping the VW, it’s this: From styling to performance, the VW makes fewer waves than the Ever Given. For shoppers who actually do the math beyond monthly payments, the VW’s energy costs easily undercut any gasoline model or hybrid. That’s in line with the more lavish versions of the RAV4, CR-V, Mazda CX-5, or all-new Hyundai Santa Fe. A dual-motor AWD version arrives later in 2021, with pricing that starts from $44,870 or $37,370 post-credit. (We’ll see how Americans in northern climes feel about a rear-drive SUV). ![]() The VW’s official 250-mile driving range also proved to be a welcome case of truth in advertising, as the VW’s rear-mounted AC motor and 82-kWh battery pack had me on pace for about 270 miles while treading lightly. Not coincidentally, that’s near the $33,000 that VW cites as the market sweet spot for a small gasoline SUV. That includes reasonable affordability, via government subsidies to get the ID.4 within financial range of mega-selling gasoline SUVs, albeit just barely a $41,190 base price becomes $33,690 after a $7,500 federal tax credit. The ID.4 ably covers the practical side of the SUV equation. For VW, and Ford and GM and every EV hopeful, the open question remains exactly how many of those millions are ready to be siphoned off and plugged in. Secondly, VW believes the ID.4 can compete for the hearts and minds of Americans who buy more than 400,000 RAV4s in a good year, among some four million compact SUVs. The implications seem clear: VW prefers to avoid uncomfortable conversations about the Tesla and the Ford, which comfortably top the ID.4 in performance, driving range, and dramatic screen-based tech. Instead, VW urges us to view the electric ID.4 as a direct rival to unleaded-fueled SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. DC Fast Charge times are predicted to give you an 80% charge in half an hour.The ID.4 may be America’s latest Great Green Hope, but Volkswagen isn’t promoting big-money fights with a Tesla Model Y or Ford Mustang Mach-E. An optional 110 kWh upgrade will take you 340 miles on a charge. The ID.Buzz Cargo version will come with a standard 201 horsepower motor at the rear axle though a four-wheel-drive version may also be available.Īs far as electric batteries are concerned, a base 48 kWh capacity battery is planned with a 200-mile range. The passenger van all-wheel-drive version will utilize electric motors on the front and rear axles for a combined 359 horsepower and a projected zero to 60 mph time of under five seconds. VW has not released details on the Microbus as far as what trim levels will be offered but industry insiders predict that the base model will likely sell in the $40,000 range. And before we go any further, yes, the new bus will come in a variety of far-out pastel colors to go with the nostalgic aesthetic and will allow for flexible seating configurations in the cabin. ![]() That should be more than enough for weekend outings to psychedelic music festivals. The new all-electric Microbus will offer a driving range of approximately 340 miles.
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