Meet the Volkswagen ID.4: Important facts and figures for Canadian shoppers

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The Volkswagen ID.4 is readying for launch in parts of Canada later this summer. The all-electric crossover is the first model to hit Canadian roads riding the automaker’s new MEB platform, which was built to house a wide range of future, all-electric products.

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Below, let’s get you up to speed on the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4, and the key differences between Canadian and U.S. models, with 12 important facts and figures.

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Meet the Volkswagen ID.4: Important facts and figures for Canadian shoppers Back to video

What’s in a name?

The “ID” in ID4 stands for Intelligent Design, and it refers to a new series of electric vehicles hitting the market from Volkswagen. The ID.4 is the first of these, and more are on the way. Specifically, the ID.4 is an all-electric crossover from Volkswagen, who say competitors will include the likes of the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4. The ID.4 will offer rear or All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and is one of many new options hitting the market for the increasing number of Canadians looking to make the switch to an electric vehicle.

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It can tow your boat.

The ID.4 can be had with towing capacity of up to 2,700 pounds.

Let’s talk numbers

In Canada, the ID.4 starts at $45,000, with government rebates knocking off up to $5,000. The standard model, called the ID.4 Pro, is a single-motor, rear-drive unit with 201 horsepower. The AWD-equipped ID.4, which will come online later, gets two electric motors, one for each axle. This enables AWD, and increases output to around 300 horsepower.

At this writing, the pricing above makes the ID.4 Canada’s least-expensive battery-powered AWD, and one that happens to be a spacious crossover, too. That’s an affordable AWD-equipped crossover in a market segment where most Canadians are shopping today.

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The ID.4 GTX

A higher performing ID.4 GTX model has also been revealed, giving sportier shoppers an upcoming option on something more fun to look at, more fun to drive, and with styling and design touches inspired by other sporty Volkswagens like the GTI. With both ID.4 Pro and ID.4 GTX models available, the model range offers plenty of selection.

Charging and range

ID.4’s range is rated at up to 400 kilometres in ideal conditions. With fast-charge capability, connecting the ID.4 to a compatible charger can add 200 kilometres to the battery during a road-trip lunch-break, or up to 100 kilometres in as little as ten minutes! On a compatible fast charger, shoppers can also recharge from 5 per cent to 80 per cent in less than 40 minutes.

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An $8,000 statement

An available Statement Package is on offer to give your ID.4 some added flair and exclusivity. The $8,000 package adds more upscale features and trimmings, including illuminated door sills and logos, premium massage seating, premium wheels, and more.

The MEB Platform

The ID series of vehicles is built using Volkswagen’s new Modular Electric Drive matrix architecture, which you can call the “MEB Platform” for short. The ID.4 will be built in Germany, China and the USA, and the modularity of the MEB platform beneath its skin allows core components to be reconfigured and deployed in a multitude of vehicles of different sizes and shapes. Each of these use a floor-mounted structural battery pack that can power an electric motor at either (or both) axles.

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The Beetle connection

The ID.4 has something in common with the original VW Bug: a rear-mounted motor. While the original Bug was a fairly noisy machine, the ID.4 is so quiet it actually uses synthetic noise at lower speeds to make sure it can be heard by nearby pedestrians and cyclists.

Battery details

The ID.4’s battery pack is an 82 KWh unit that’s built from 12 modules with nearly 300 individual pouch-style cells. The pouch-style cell design allows more power to be stored within the same physical space, benefitting range, interior storage space, and more.

The battery pack weighs nearly 1,100 pounds and sits within a reinforced aluminum housing that’s structurally integrated with the vehicle’s floor. This means the ID.4’s central mass is down low and wide, which enhances handling response and safety. The remainder of the drive system components (the motor, single-speed transmission, and control unit), weigh less than 200 pounds, and can fit into a duffel bag.

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Square wires = more power

A special wire winding method used in construction of the ID.4s motor units helps stretch energy efficiency even further. By using square wire and a special winding technique, the wires can be packed more tightly into the motor, which places more copper within the motor’s stator. Result? More power, better cooling, and better energy efficiency.

Interest is spiking

More Canadians than ever are taking an interest in electric and electrified vehicles. The average Canadian driver drives less than 60 kilometres per day, and the average Canadian EV driver recharges exclusively at home. Many EV-curious shoppers plan to use their first EV as a secondary vehicle – perhaps alongside a truck or SUV that’s already in their driveway – for a fuel-free commuter, runabout or road-tripper that never needs to go to a gas station or have its oil changed.

Canada vs USA

Though the ID.4 sold in Canada will be almost identical to the ID.4 sold in the USA, there are two Canada-only distinctions: specifically, a standard heat-pump for higher efficiency cabin heating is standard on Canadian models, and not found on US models. Further, all Canadian units come standard with a heated windshield. In the USA, a heated windshield is only fitted to AWD-equipped models. Not surprisingly, VW Canada figures most of their ID.4 sales volume will be AWD-equipped units.