Volkswagen has revealed the near-production version of the I.D. Crozz concept (dubbed the I.D. 4) by showing the electric SUV in a new livery. The carmaker has confirmed that it will initially introduce the model with rear-wheel-drive and a range of up to 500km.
The electric-powered crossover will be a key part of the firm’s electric line-up, joining the I.D. 3 hatch, when it goes on sale internationally in Europe, China and the US in 2021. The Volkswagen I.D. 4 is also slated for a 2021 launch in the Indian market.
VW showed the revised camouflage livery for the I.D. 4 during a webcast in place of a planned press event at the cancelled Geneva motor show. The new scheme is a two-tone blue version of the lurid pre-launch wrap used for the I.D. 3, and clearly shows many of the styling details of the production model. The webcast was also the first time VW had officially confirmed the model would carry the I.D. 4 nameplate.
The I.D. 4 was due to be launched internationally at this year's New York motor show, but that has been delayed. Our sister publication, Autocar UK, understands that the undisguised version is likely to be shown at the revamped Detroit motor show in June.
The all-electric SUV will initially be offered with a single electric motor and rear-wheel-drive layout. Volkswagen chief operating officer Ralf Brandstätter has said that a more powerful twin-motor, four-wheel-drive layout is set to be offered within the first 12 months of the model going on sale globally.
As suggested by the I.D. Crozz concept (recently showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo) that the I.D. 4 is based on, the rear-wheel-drive model is expected to offer up to 204hp and 310Nm of torque from its rear-mounted electric motor. The four-wheel-drive model will add a front-mounted motor with an additional 102hp and 240Nm of torque, taking its overall output to 306hp/450Nm.
The I.D. 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 500km on the WLTP test cycle.
Similar in size to the Volkswagen Tiguan, the I.D. 4 will also offer fast-charging that will allow its battery to be charged to 80 percent within 30min on a 125-150kW system.
Production of the I.D. 4 is planned to take place in factories in Germany, China and USA, cementing its status as a global model, unlike the I.D. 3, which is not planned to be sold in the USA.
There will be two versions of the I.D. e-SUV: a standard model and an SUV-coupé in the vein of the original concept, expected to be named the I.D. 4 and I.D. 5 respectively. The I.D. 5 will be revealed at a later date. The electric SUV will have a more conventional roofline and tailgate design, and is also expected to have conventional rear doors, ditching the sliding ones on the 2017 Crozz concept.
We’ve previously seen prototypes of the model testing, which confirm that it shares a similar profile as the Crozz concept, including the rising and falling shoulder line, imposing front-end and high haunches. An I.D. 4 prototype in a different camouflage livery was also shown at last September’s Frankfurt motor show during the launch of the I.D. 3, with which it will share many design cues.
The I.D. 4 and I.D. 5 aim to combine the dynamic lines of a modern-day sportscar with the all-terrain capability of a dedicated off-roader. They are said to offer interior space on a par with the Tiguan AllSpace, a long-wheelbase version of VW’s bestselling SUV model.
The I.D. Crozz concept is 4,625mm long, 1,891mm wide and 1,609mm tall, putting it in between the five-seat Tiguan and seven-seat Tiguan Allspace in terms of dimensions. The wheelbase is 2,773mm.
Also see:
Volkswagen T-Roc India launch on March 18, 2020
Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace India launch on March 6