Volkswagen says that when production of the ID.4 begins in Tennessee, a version with a 62 kWh battery (58 kWh usable) and an 82 kWh battery (77 kWh usable) will be built side by side. The cars are currently imported from the factory in Zwickau, Germany.
The announcement omits an important detail – the price – but the ID.4 in the US with the larger battery starts at just over $40,000 and has a range of 280 miles. Speculation is that the smaller battery version will have a range of about 200 miles and will start at about $35,000. Subtract the federal tax credit and customers could be looking at a thoroughly modern electric SUV for a net price of about $27,500.
The new entry-level will likely use a rear-mounted electric motor. Whether it will have the same power and torque as the rear motor used in the ID.4 with the larger battery pack is unknown at this time. “More details on the locally produced MY23 ID 4 EV will be announced shortly,” Volkswagen said in a statement pronunciation.
Since the average transaction price of a new car in America is currently over $47,000, that means an electric SUV will be within reach for more Americans than ever before. The Chevy Bolt EUV is a comparable car for a comparable price. It has more range, but is smaller than the ID.4.
Volkswagen offers a version of the ID.4 in Europe with an even smaller battery, but that option will not be available in America. For its US-built cars, Volkswagen sources its battery cells from the new SK Innovation plant in Georgia. Production in Tennessee is expected to begin in the third quarter of this year.
Range is becoming less of an issue as consumers hear more about the benefits of electric vehicles and the increased availability of fast chargers when away from home. Yet it is a bold move by Volkswagen to offer drivers a choice of a cheaper car with less range at a time when everyone is busy bringing cars to the market with a longer range. The first US-made ID.4 SUVs are expected to hit showrooms in late 2022 or early 2023.
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