Volkswagen has always prided itself as one of the most technologically advanced car companies in the world, always willing to be on the cutting edge of the automotive industry. With the 2022 Volkswagen ID.4, the company is seeking to carry on a tradition begun with other models in the past. For example, the world-famous Volkswagen Beetle chose a small, rounded, aerodynamic design at a time when most other cars were big and boxy. What’s more, the Beetle featured a small but powerful, air-cooled engine located in the car’s rear instead of under the hood like other cars. This proved to be more economical and efficient while allowing for a smaller front-end, improving driver’s visibility.
When it was first introduced in 2021, the Volkswagen ID.4 joined the company’s lineup as the first Volkswagen battery electric vehicle (BEV) designed from the ground up. Again, Volkswagen has shown its commitment to technological innovation to improve the vehicles it offers to its customers. The key with a BEV is to improve efficiency while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions. However, the designers at Volkswagen had to make sure the ID.4 was roomy enough, as many early hybrids and BEVs suffer from cramped compartments and lack of luggage space. In this way, the 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 is designed to provide family drivers and commuters with a vehicle that serves their key needs without compromising on the comfort they seek.
What Powers the ID.4?
The engineers at Volkswagen have spent the last few years developing the MEB electric vehicle architecture. This is a type of modular electric drive matrix that maintains the efficiency benefits of an EV while scaling up the performance one wants in a vehicle. In many ways, the MEB platform on the 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 is a case of going back to the future, with Volkswagen taking a page from its past to develop a vehicle for today. Just like the famed Beetle, the Volkswagen ID.4 features a rear-engine design, with the primary electric motor located in the back of the vehicle.
The primary motor on the 2022 ID.4 is an AC permanent magnet synchronous motor that provides 201 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque. As a BEV, this power is instantly available, giving the ID.4 solid acceleration. The motor itself is located in the centerline of the vehicle’s wheels just above the rear axle. This provides balance in performance and protects the motor from getting damaged by bumps and obstacles.
Powering this motor is an 82 kWh lithium-ion battery pack consisting of 288 pouch cells in 12 separate modules. To protect the battery, Volkswagen has placed it in the underbody of the ID.4 inside of an extruded aluminum casing. Also, by placing the battery pack in the ID.4’s undercarriage, the designers at Volkswagen have made sure that it does not have a negative impact on interior space.
Many other hybrid and EV models from other manufacturers placed the battery pack behind the rear seats, cutting down on passenger legroom and reducing cargo capacity. Fortunately, this is not the case with the 2022 ID.4, which is truly spacious. The 2022 ID.4 gives you 41.1 inches of legroom in the front and 37.6 inches of legroom in the rear row of seats, comparable to other compact SUVs with conventional gas engines. In addition, you get 30.3 cubic feet of trunk space in the ID.4, which can easily be expanded to 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.
Volkswagen also offers the 2022 ID.4 in an all-wheel drive version. This model adds an asynchronous electric motor to the front axle. This motor has an output of 107 horsepower and 119 lb-ft of torque, boosting overall performance on the all-wheel drive ID.4 to 295 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. In addition, the all-wheel drive model will provide better traction than the standard rear-wheel drive model in inclement weather.
How Does the ID.4 Perform?
One of the complaints many drivers had about hybrids and BEVs was that they were sluggish. This was often the case with early models produced by other automakers. As a result, hybrids and BEVs developed a bad reputation. This might also explain why Volkswagen waited until it had fully developed its MEB platform before introducing the ID.4 in 2021.
If you opt for the ID.4 with rear-wheel drive, you are going to be surprised by its solid acceleration. This model can get you from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 7.6 seconds, which will make merging onto a busy highway easier than ever. This model also has a top speed of 100 miles per hour, so folks can save their golf cart jokes for other automakers’ BEVs.
If you seek top performance, then the all-wheel drive ID.4 might be the best option. This can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 5.4 seconds and will have you hitting 100 miles per hour in only 14.5 seconds. This model also has a top speed of 112 miles per hour and can complete the ¼ mile in only 14.1 seconds at 99 miles per hour, blowing past the rear-wheel drive ID.4, which takes 16 seconds to complete the same distance at a final speed of 86 miles per hour.
How Does the ID.4 charge?
One of the biggest improvements of the 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 over the first model year is the charging time. The 2022 ID.4 increases fast-charging speed from 125 kW to 135 kW. As a result, this year’s model has an estimated charging time of just 10 minutes for 70 miles of range at public DC fast-charging stations. As a result, you can get the ID.4 charged up to almost maximum capacity at a public station in just 40 minutes. Charging at home with an AC outlet may take a little longer, but that’s the case for any BEV.
Volkswagen is showing its commitment to the future of BEVs by partnering with Electrify America, which currently has over 750 charging stations nationwide, including cross-country routes that let you travel from Washington to anywhere in the nation. The 2022 ID.4 even comes with 3 years of unlimited 30-minute charging sessions at Electrify America DC fast chargers at no cost to ID.4 owners. This will give drivers the peace of mind that they can recharge their ID.4 at any time they are out on the road.
What Is the ID.4’s Range?
A major concern with BEVs is the battery range. The last thing you want to have happen is to run out of a charge while on a long trip. While Volkswagen has worked with Electrify America in opening so many DC fast chargers, you still don’t want to have to keep pulling over all the time to get your ID.4 recharged. Fortunately, Volkswagen has worked hard to improve the range on both models of the 2022 ID.4. The rear-wheel drive ID.4 Pro will give you the most range, an impressive 280 miles on a single full charge of its 82 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This is the result of its incredible EPA estimated fuel economy of 112 MPGe. The rear-wheel drive ID.4 Pro S has more standard equipment, but the range drops slightly to 268 miles and efficiency to 106 MPGe.
Choosing either model with available all-wheel drive will improve performance, but at the expense of range. The all-wheel drive 2022 ID.4 Pro has a range of 251 miles with 101 MPGe combined, while the all-wheel drive ID.4 Pro S has a range of 245 miles with 95 MPGe combined. Nevertheless, this is the type of fuel economy that SUVs with conventional gas engines can only dream about.
Identifying the ID.4
Volkswagen has shown its commitment to the future in the development of the MEB platform in general and the 2022 ID.4 in particular. It has given drivers the opportunity to get a BEV that has the fuel economy expected from a fully electric model without compromising on roominess, versatility, and performance. In this way, Volkswagen has given the 2022 ID.4 an identity as a BEV that is truly the best of both worlds.
