The Volkswagen ID.4 compact electric SUV will arrive Stateside in early 2021 in rear-wheel-drive, 1st Edition guise. Later on in the first quarter, the more affordable ID.4 Pro RWD will become available, followed by the ID.4 AWD Pro. With only a few months remaining until the first ID.4s reach VW’s U.S. dealerships, it’s no surprise that a fully undisguised test prototype was spotted by one of our readers in Malibu, California.
The black SUV was at a charging station,
with our reader learning from the test driver that VW is currently testing the
infrastructure to fine tune charging. This likely means the automaker wants to
see how the ID.4’s battery behaves when subjected repeatedly to different
charging speeds and voltages.
Speaking of the battery, the 2021 ID.4
will offer an 82 kWh (77 kWh net) pack that provides a driving range of 402 km on a full charge on the EPA cycle. This range corresponds to the
RWD model powered by a 150 kW (201 HP) electric motor. The same
battery will power the AWD model, which will feature two electric motors with a
total output of 225 kW (302 HP).
When it comes to charging, the battery can
be replenished using both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC)
fast-charging capability. An 11 kW onboard charger allows the ID.4 to charge
the battery at a rate of 53 km per hour, “filling it up” in around
seven and a half hours at a home or public Level 2 charger. Using a DC
fast-charging station with a speed of 125 kW, the battery can go from five to
80 percent charge in about 38 minutes.
The 2021 ID.4 starts at US$ 39,995 for the
Pro RWD, with the ID.4 AWD Pro priced from US$ 43,695. The well-equipped ID.4 1st
Edition launch model that’s priced at US$ 43,995 is already sold out. The cheapest
ID.4 will be the one made in the United States from 2022, with VW announcing a
starting MSRP of around US$ 35,000.
