First Volkswagen ID.4 EVs land in Australia ahead of late 2023 release

UPDATE, March 29 2023: Australian timing confirmed for ID models

Volkswagen Australia has today confirmed local launch timing for its ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID.Buzz models – get all the details at the links below.

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ID.4 EV lands in Oz for assessment

Volkswagen is inching closer to the Australian release of its first EV as two examples of the ID.4 medium electric SUV land in Australia ahead of a late 2023 release.

The brand’s Australian arm is hoping to have ID.4 and its ID.5 coupe sibling in Australian driveways toward the end of 2023.

The ID.4s in Australia now are UK-spec Pro and Pure performance variants, which record 522km and 345km driving range in the WLTP combined cycle respectively.

The Pro Performance is expected to be popular with private buyers, while the Pure Performance is here to evaluate the viability of fleet sales in Australia.

“Strategically the Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 represent the most sizeable opportunity for Volkswagen Australia in countless years,” brand director Michal Szaniecki said.

JUMP AHEAD

• How much will ID.4 cost?
• Driving range, power, charging
• How ID.4 stacks up against rivals
• Australian specification

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How much will the ID.4 cost in Australia?

Lately VW has been leaning into premium, but at its core the brand is about mass mobility; Volkswagen translates to 'People’s Car'.

With that in mind, Mr Szaniecki said: “The ID.4 will not set out to charge customers a premium for being a style statement or shortchange practicalities in any way for being electric.”

“The ID.4 will bring electric performance to a broad customer base with target pricing similar to our most in-demand SUV, the Tiguan 162TSI R-Line”, Szaniecki continued.

That gives a rough starting point of $56,000 before on-road costs.

If the ID.4 Pro Performance is able to hit the market for under $60K, then established competitors such as the Tesla Model Y, Volvo XC40, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Polestar 2 will have a real fight on their hands.

“Arriving at the same time will be the coupe-style ID.5 with pricing similar to a Tiguan R, enabling customers to alternatively pick an even more design-focused BEV”, Szaniecki said, putting the coupe-styled MEB option at around $70K before on-road costs.

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VW ID.4: Driving range, performance, charging

The VW ID.4 is based on the group’s modular electric architecture, called MEB. It underpins the ID.3 that we'll be getting in Australia later, as well as the Cupra Born hatch set to arrived earlier in 2023.

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In ID.4 Pro Performance guise, that means a 77kWh usable (82kWh gross) lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the rear seats for 522km driving range in the WLTP combined cycle.

Public fast-chargers will be able to put electricity back in at a rate of 125kW, meaning a 0-80 per cent (0-418km driving range) charge will take 33 minutes, or 42 minutes to reach 100 per cent.

The ID.4 Pro Performance uses a single, rear-mounted electric motor producing 150kW/310Nm for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 8.5 seconds.

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The shorter range Pure Performance gets a 52kWh usable (55kWh gross) battery and detuned 125kW/310Nm motor for 345km WLTP driving range and 0-100km/h sprint in 9.0 seconds.

Fast-charging for the Pure Performance happens at a slightly lower rate of 110kW, though its smaller battery means 0-80 per cent takes just 26 minutes. Both variants max out at 7.2kW at AC charging points.

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How ID.4 compares to rivals

Note: Table scrolls horizontally

*Tesla does not provide some specifications, these are based on those made by EV Database.

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Australian specification

Final Australian specification is yet to be locked in for ID.4 and ID.5 models, however it’s likely we will get a high spec version not too dissimilar to the UK’s Pro Performance model.

This is expected to be most popular with private buyers, and it features technology such as an available 12.0-inch touchscreen, digital driver’s display, 19-inch alloy wheels, progressive steering, head-up display with AR and seven-speaker, 450-watt sound system.

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Seating is taken care of by heated ‘ErgoActive’ front seats with 12-way power adjust and two-position memory upholstered in a mix of vinyl and ‘Artvelour’ suedecloth. The ID.4’s steering wheel is heated, too.

Exact specification, pricing and trim levels will be locked in closer to the 2023 ID.4’s release toward the end of next year.

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