My name is Thomas Geiger
And that is the Volkswagen ID.4
4 weeks prior to the digital world premiere and 3 months prior to the market launch at the end of the year
we are here  in in Ehra-Lessien, the strictly regulated test area of Volkswagen .
in order to take a first ride with the  electric hope for the future
Yes, the  electric beacon of Volkswagen is the ID.3, that we have presented to you a few weeks ago.
But with regards to volume we are talking about the ID.4
This car is intended to initiate a worldwide turnaround in mobility.
And as the first electric SUV from Volkswagen, it has a much greater market significance.
At the same time it is exciting because it attacks important competitors, like the just presented Skoda Enyaq and the Tesla Model Y.
What to expect from the car? What it can do and what the chances are for success? Let's find out!
The ID.4 does not just look like an SUV - it also can do a bit SUV.
We are here at Ehra-Lessien on the so called rally test track.
VW is  develeoping and fine tuning its off-road vehicles here.
And even without all wheel drive - this is coming later -  the ID.4 is doing a good job.
I would not drive it through the desert
But for field trails and of course the electrice drive unit is positioned within the car, so that you can drive through water.
This is a 170 kW rear wheel drive car, so 204 horsepowers in the old currency.
That is good for 8.5 seconds from 0 to 100 kph.
Top speed is 160 kph / 100 mph - electronically limited.
Next year the all wheel drive version is coming, with an additional 75 kW  engine in the front. System power will be 225 kW / 300 horsepower with all wheel drive.
Top speed will be 180 kph / 112 mph.
For the start the ID.4 will be available with two battery sizes: 52 kWh and 77 kWh.
Range between 350 km and 520 km (218 mi to 323) in WLTP.
Charging speed is 100 kW or 125 kW.
That means 5 to 80% in less than 45 minutes - under ideal conditions.
If you want to compare the ID.4 with the main competitors you will think of two candidates.
The just released Skoda Enjaq and of course the Tesla Model Y
Both are obviously close to the ID.4
The Enjaq because it uses the same technology.
The Model Y because it will be produced only 300 km /185 mi away from Zwickau (VW) in Grünheide, close to Berlin.
Comparing the car with the Enjaq is easy.
As always, Skoda is manufacturing the a little bit bigger and more practical car, that is even a bit cheaper.
Comparing it to the Tesla is more difficult.
Of course Tesla has the better name, standing for future and electric revolution
And has the more exciting and more different design.
And the cleaner interior
But: Tesla is coming after VW to the European market.
And: different than Model S and Model 3, Tesla has a smal problem with regards to size.
Because the Model Y is indeed longer than the ID.4, but offers significantly less space
And while Tesla is promising a third row, and everyone wonders where it should fit in the Model Y,
The ID.4 is so spacious that you could actually put someone in the third row
But VW says: we'd better not do that and promises almost 600 liters of trunk volume.
While the ID.4 is quite different from the Id.3 on the outside, the cars are quite similar on the inside, apart from the space of course.
Especially the operating and display concept is identical to the ID.3.
The ambient light that communicates with me
The big center touchscreen, the smal one behind the steering wheel
And the unusual 'gear knob', that looks similar to the BMW i3.
But there is one clear difference between ID.3 and ID.4 interior.
The ID.3 was developed with a tight budget.
And that is the ID.3 comes with a material appearance that one would actually not have expected from Volkswagen.
The ID.4 is very different.
Still not super premium, for sure not the level of Audi or Mercedes.
But not as bad as the ID.3.
Now you see more noble plastic, a few metal consoles,
Seats that are comfortable
and even in the back you can look at the consoles without your eyes hurting.
For the driver the ID.4 controls feel like an ID.3. But the passengers in the back have a very different experience.
Wheelbase and platform are identical: 2,77 m (109 inch) between the axles,
but the ID.4 is the much more spacious.
Almost 4,70 m (185 inch) long, that means more space than the Tiguan Allspace, allthough this one is longer.
and it is not only thought of the children, but also plenty of room for luggage.
Almost 600 litres of trunk volume according to VW.
And if that is not enough you can use the roof and - one of the few electric SUV - that comes with a hitch.
That is our first ride with the all new VW ID.4
A car that indeed has what it takes to bring the mobility revolution forward.
The ID.3 as the Golf of the new era is indeed the flagship, the beacon
But the Tiguan has overtaken the Golf a while ago, so it is obvious that the ID.4 will sell better than the ID.3
Yes it will be around 7.000 € more expensive than an ID.3, starting at 37.000 €
After subsidies 30.000 € and that is indeed a competitive price.
But the ID.4 is well desigend,
much better processed and equipped than the ID.3
And it is the more practical car.
And as always the Skoda is a bit cheaper
The Tesla a bit fancier
But I think this car has what it takes to become the electric bestseller of VW.
