New Volkswagen ID.4 2022 detailed: Tesla Model Y rival goes official with up to 520km of driving range

Volkswagen has officially revealed what is likely to be the first all-electric model it sells in Australia, with the ID.4 mid-size SUV charging in with up to 520km of driving range (WLTP).

From launch overseas, the ID.4 is available with rear-wheel drive via a 150kW electric motor that helps it to sprint from a standstill to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds while on the way to its top speed of 160km/h.

This variant is powered by a 77kWh battery, which provides up to 520km of driving range (WLTP). When flat, it can be recharged with a 125kW DC fast charger, with 320km added back in about half an hour. Alternatively, an 11kW AC charger can add 53km in around an hour.

Additional variants will become available in the future, including an all-wheel-drive option with two electric motors, which together produce 225kW of power. Its claimed acceleration, terminal velocity and driving range will be confirmed then.

Like the ID.3 small hatchback, the ID.4 uses Volkswagen Group’s new Modular Electric drive Matrix (MEB) platform, with it measuring 4584mm long, 1852mm wide and 1612mm tall (positioning it between the Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace in length), and offering 543-1575L of cargo capacity.

As reported, the ID.4’s exterior design was unofficially revealed by the Chinese government in June, so we’re already familiar with its LED headlights and tail-light, Matrix and 3D versions of which are respectively optional. Alloy wheels measure up to 21 inches in diameter.

Inside, the ID.4 is minimalistic, with its simple dashboard highlighted by an augmented reality (AR) head-up display, a 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a central touchscreen measuring 10 or 12 inches in diameter. Its Discover Pro multimedia system supports natural voice control.

The Tesla Model Y could be in Volkswagen Australia showrooms as early as 2022, with a sub-$50,000 starting price targeted, but expect to hear more about it soon.