On the outside, the 2023 cars get new details of the front bumper in glossy black and the backlit Volkswagen logo. Other than that, buyers are faced with a choice of eight new paint colors and four interior colors for the eight trim levels. Volkswagen dictates the rest – ID.4 can’t basically be determined specifically by wheel size and design, tire selection, or even heated massage seats.
As the day wrapped up in Tennessee, Volkswagen also threw in a quick sample engine of the smaller 62 kWh ID.4 prototype. Available in rear-wheel drive only (and therefore, only 201 horsepower), the entry-level ID.4 loses some of the zest that makes the 295-horsepower AWD models more fun. But at the lower price point, VW hopes city dwellers with good charging options will award the ID.4 premium, if simple, interior and standard tech package over the maximum range stats, especially compared to competitors like the Toyota bZ4X or Hyundai Ioniq. 5 – Although, the Hyundai Kona EV Spartan seems like a more apt comparison.
As a final good, Volkswagen offered the ID.4 concept built for the Tennessee Valley Authority with smaller 18-inch wheels, all-terrain knit tires and a roof rack. The planned operation of 1,200 units will help phase out TVA’s reliance on gas-powered trucks for airline workers who maintain the state’s power grid.
A similar package designed specifically for the off-road market seems less likely, though, especially given recently announced plans to revamp the International Scout’s plate as an all-electric SUV. In the meantime, the ID.4 will simply have to serve as Volkswagen’s electric car for people, at least until the highly anticipated next-generation Beetle joins the expanding lineup of futuristic electric vehicles.
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