Volkswagen Debuts ID.4, Its New Global EV SUV

UTC by Godfrey Benjamin · 3 min read
Volkswagen Debuts ID.4, Its New Global EV SUV
Photo: Volkswagen

Volkswagen is targeting mainstream consumers with the ID.4 as it is able to boost the increased adoption of EVs by balancing the cost of the car and the range of its batteries.

The Volkswagen Group (ETR: VOW3) has unveiled its new global electric vehicle Sports Utility Vehicle ID.4 which states will cost approximately $39,995. As reported by CNBC, Volkswagen said it will leverage its global footprint to produce the ID.4 in an economical way. The release of the ID.4 comes approximately a year since the launch of its ID.3 car series, showing the renewed commitment of the Volkswagen group to up its game in the competitive EV car production ecosystem.

As reported, the Volkswagen ID.4 EV SUVs will be sold at $39,995 excluding the tax levy which may be as high as $7,500 in federal tax chargeable for the purchase of electric vehicles. 

“This is truly a breathtaking global car,” Scott Keogh, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said during a media briefing ahead of the vehicle’s online reveal Wednesday. “I think the upside of that is it’s giving us an awful lot of the scaling effects that we need, which of course is giving us the pricing power and we see a very strong correlation between pricing and adoption to electric vehicles.”

The cars will be produced in three continents and in about five of Volkswagen’s factories including one in Tenessee, United States, two plants in Europe, and two plants in China. Until the US production commences which is expected to lower the cost of the vehicles, customers in the North American market will be served by the ID.4 cars manufactured from Germany.

With the ID.3 and ID.4 vehicle series arguably cheaper than Tesla’s (TSLA) equivalents, Keogh noted that the company takes a little profit from the sales of these vehicles with hopes for a bigger margin as production peaks.

Features of the Volkswagen ID.4 Cars

The hallmark of a new car debut is the unique features it offers when it comes to beating its competition. A pronounced feature of the ID.4 series is its light feature.

“Light is the new chrome,” Klaus Zyciora explains as the Volkswagen Group Head of Design and former Head of Volkswagen Brand Design. “Light plays a major role, especially for an electric vehicle. It represents energy and electricity, but also warmth and safety. Light is a perfect symbol for the mobility of the future.” 

Of the light features the ID.4 is embalmed with includes its IQ. Light with LED matrix headlights, 3D LED tail light clusters. ‘Their tail light forms a flat curve and has a particularly homogeneous and vivid effect. In each case, nine fibre optic cable surfaces emit the light in an unusually rich red. Each of these discs, consisting of several, thin layers, appears to be floating in front of a black background. The brake lights light up in the shape of an “X”,’ as adapted from the Volkswagen description of the ID.4 SUVs.

Volkswagen is targeting mainstream consumers with the ID.4 as it is able to boost increased adoption by balancing the cost of the car and the range of its batteries. Currently, the ID.4 runs at an estimated range of 250 miles, which is at par with the Tesla 3 model but lower than the other Tesla car series. Volkswagen aims for improvement in these ranges as production peaks.

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