2021 VW ID.4 Crossover Design Revealed Ahead Of 2020 US Release

Volkswagen has revealed the exterior design of the 2021 ID.4 electric crossover, and the new EV looks set to be a shapely addition to US roads. The first of VW's MEB-based vehicles to reach North America, the ID.4 was first previewed all the way back in 2017 as the ID. CROZZ Concept, a fully electric two row compact SUV.

Since then, we've seen the ID.3 hatchback go on sale in Europe, but VW of America opted not to bring the car to US shores. Instead it'll be the ID.4 that gives American drivers their first taste of the Modular Electric Drive Matrix platform.

VW has shown camouflaged versions of the ID.4 for a while now, but it's only today – with production having just kicked off in Germany – that it has revealed the uncovered design. No huge surprises, then, but nothing to disappoint either. The ID.4 combines aerodynamically-preferable curves with chunky wheel arches and a bulging hood, along with an illuminated grille and badging.

The important thing is the low drag, of course. VW says the crossover clocks in at a coefficient of 0.28, and that its efforts were more than just making the ID.4 look like a smooth pebble.

"The most important factor for this is the flowing basic shape of the vehicle body and passenger compartment, which is significantly drawn in towards the rear," Klaus Zyciora, Head of Design at VW Group, explains. "This is complemented by many precisely executed details. For instance, the bodies of the tail light clusters together with the large roof spoiler ensure that the air flow is cleanly separated."

VW will offer various different battery sizes, relying on that to help span ID.4 price points as well as cater to those who demand more range. On the European WLTP tests, the expectation is that the electric crossover will be able to do over 500 km (310 miles) on a single charge, at least with the largest battery pack fitted. US EPA range numbers are certain to be lower than that, though low- to mid-200s seems eminently feasible.

Initially there'll only be a rear-wheel drive version of the ID.4. In time, VW says, there'll be an all-wheel drive ID.4 that presumably uses two motors, one for each axle. Deliveries in the US are expected to kick off, albeit in potentially small numbers, before the end of 2020, with pricing to be confirmed imminently.