VW ID.4 charges up coast ahead of auto group’s EV push

Volkswagen has released a video of the upcoming ID.4 electric SUV taking a road trip up the east coast of Australia. In a neat twist, we noticed it charging up at one of the NRMA’s electric vehicle fast chargers (see image above.) 

The shiny blue ID.4 was seen sucking up electrons to power the 2,000km EV road trip in the all-electric SUV by Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles Director Michal Szaniecki. 

Szaniecki made the trip from Sydney all the way up to Mackay in north Queensland to visit six dealerships along the east coast to promote the ID.4’s arrival in the showrooms in 2024, stopping at a number of towns including Monkland near Gympie in Queensland, and Ballina in northern NSW (see below.)

The ID.4 is one of five all-electric models Volkswagen plans to start producing for the Australian market by next March, which also include the ID.3 electric hatchback, the ID.5 GTX, the ID.Buzz people mover and the ID.Buzz Cargo electric van. 

In the ID.4 range, there will be three variants available – starting with the 150kW ID.4 Pro Performance with 77kWH battery with a 522km WLTP range rating (expect as little as 295km in cold weather highway driving, and up to 600km in mild weather city driving.) 

This is joined by the 125kW ID.4 Pure Performance with 55kWh battery that offers 345km WLTP range (from 280km and up to 420km in real world conditions as per above.) Torque for both is 310Nm. 

Top charge rate for the Pure Performance is 110kW, while the Pro Performance charges at a top rate of 150kW. 

The third ID.4 on offer will be the top-of-the-range GTX, which packs the same 77kWh battery and has what is effectively the same powertrain as the Audi Q4 e-tron quattro.  

It drives primarily using a rear axle motor but kicks in a front axle motor to give it extra traction when needed for a combined power output of 220kW and a max torque of 460Nm. Volkswagen says it will be priced competitively against the carmaker’s high performance Tiguan R SUV. 

ID.Buzz to go on show at Cronulla Surf Masters 

By December 2024, Australian drivers could be basking in the summer sun in an all-electric Kombi. 

Known officially as the ID.Buzz, Volkswagen has now started taking expressions of interest for its all-electric people mover and cargo van. 

Both variants sport a retro style that seeks to evoke the hazy days of the Sixties. It is the largest vehicle built on Volkswagen’s 'MEB' architecture, with a wheelbase the same as the T6.1 Multivan but wider.  

A larger version of the Buzz will reportedly be available by 2024, offering additional seating and space.  

Inside, the ID.Buzz can seat up to five people and includes clever features such as power sliding doors with USB-C ports and a versatile console with removable dividers and a bottle opener.  

The rear hatch provides a wide opening and spacious load space, with the e-motor placed beneath the floor. The Buzz has a maximum load capacity of 529kg and can tow up to 1000kg. 

The initial models being launched are solely rear-wheel drive, propelled by the identical rear-mounted 150kW/310Nm e-motor and 77kWh (net) battery pack that can be found in the ID.4 Pro Performance SUV in the European and North American markets. 

Additional all-wheel drive models, equipped with an extra e-motor powering the front wheels and system outputs of 220kW and 460Nm, are currently being developed and will be available by the time the Buzz makes its appearance in Australia. 

The standard wheelbase, single motor ID. Buzz has an energy consumption rate of 21.7-20.5kWh/100km on the WLTP cycle, translating to a range of approximately 402km to 423km. 

A software enhancement allows the Buzz's battery to accept a charge of up to 170kW, a substantial improvement from the maximum of 125kW present in other Volkswagen EVs. Consequently, it can be charged from 5 percent to 80 percent in just half an hour. 

Although it may be the largest electric Volkswagen vehicle thus far, the ID. Buzz is unexpectedly nimble thanks to 310Nm of torque instantly available from zero rpm, ensuring swift acceleration from the traffic lights. 

Škoda Enyaq to join EV fray 

The latest announcement falls hot on the heels of news that VW Group’s subsidiary Škoda will introduce the Enyaq from July 2024, with two variants being offered up: the Enyaq 85 and the Enyaq RS.  

As the most powerful and longest-range versions available in Europe, both variants promise to appeal to the growing EV market in Australia. Skoda will offer both models in SUV and coupe body styles.  

Both vehicles are built on the MEB platform which they share with the ID range, the Cupra Born, and Audi Q4 e-tron, and are equipped with a 77kWh battery pack.  

The Enyaq 85, which is rear-wheel drive and powered by a 210kW motor, will be complemented by the RS model, which adds a front-wheel motor for all-wheel drive capability and boasts 250kW of power. This power enables the RS to achieve a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 5.5 seconds. 

In terms of driving range, the Enyaq 85 coupe offers 576km driving range based on the WLTP cycle, while the 85 wagon offers 565km.  

The RS coupe and RS wagon provide slightly lower ranges of 547km and 541km respectively.  

Notably, the updated Enyaq now supports faster charging, with a maximum charging rate of 175kW on a DC charger.  

This allows for 10 to 80 per cent charge in  28 minutes. Additionally, a new pre-heating function has been introduced to optimise the battery for faster charging speeds. 

While pricing and equipment levels are yet to be confirmed, Škoda assures customers that the Enyaq will be tailored to meet the specific needs of the Australian market.