The face of Volkswagen’s electric push into Australia has been revealed.
The ID.4 Cross SUV will be the first Volkswagen electric vehicle to be offered in Australia when it touches down in 2022 or 2023, with the Golf-sized ID.3 hatchback to follow in its wheel tracks.
“It would be logical if we go the ID.4, the SUV [first]. I think the market here now is 65, 64 per cent SUV,” said Michael Bartsch, Volkswagen Australia managing director.
“That would make the most sense, that’s where the business model would be, because the volume would be there, because that’s where the market is.”
Although it’s a similar size to the Tiguan on the outside, the ID.4 promises to pack significantly more space behind the wheel thanks to its MEB electric underpinnings.
These images, published on VWIDtalk, show the ID.4 Cross will have an exterior heavily influenced by the ID Crozz concept car.
The front end is clean in keeping with the ID.3 hatchback, as is the window line. The light bar at the rear follows the path laid out by the compact T-Cross SUV, albeit with a slightly slimmer shape.
A range of aero-style wheels will be offered, based on these leaked pictures.
Volkswagen says top-spec versions will have a driving range of around 500 kilometres, or about 10 per cent worse than the best ID.3 hatchback models.
At launch the SUV will be offered exclusively with rear-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive variants are slated for introduction further down the road.
In all likelihood, the ID.4 will have the same electric motor with 150kW and 310Nm as the ID.3.
