Volkswagen ID. 4 Electric SUV Enters Production Ahead of World Premiere

We already know what the Volkswagen ID. 4 will look like thanks to unofficial pictures that leaked from China in mid-June. The world premiere of this all-electric SUV is scheduled for next month.

A lot of people have gotten their hands on it, though. Volkswagen announced last Friday that production has now started in Zwickau, Germany. The plant will now be exclusively building fully electric vehicles.

With such an early start, the company no doubt hopes to avoid the major software issues that have plagued the new Volkswagen ID. 3 so far. The small hatchback has been on sale in Europe for several months.

The Zwickau plant has a combined production target of 300,000 vehicles for next year. The Volkswagen ID. 4 will also be manufactured in Anting, China (where pre-production has begun) as well as Chattanooga, Tennessee starting in 2022.

Photo: Volkswagen

While many would have liked to see the ID. 3, which is about the size of a Golf, Volkswagen wisely chose the ID. 4 to introduce North American customers to its new generation of electric vehicles. After all, compact SUVs rule the road.

What do we know about the Volkswagen ID. 4 at this point? Well, with proportions similar to the current Tiguan and several models to choose from, it will go head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, not to mention the future Nissan Ariya. Range is estimated at more than 500 kilometres based on the WLTP standard used across the Atlantic, but you can expect a slightly lower figure on this side.

While some markets will get RWD and AWD variants, only the latter will likely find their way to Canada.

VW Canada public relations manager Thomas Tetzlaff has previously said the vehicle will go on sale here in the first half of 2021. Keep following The Car Guide through September to learn more about the Volkswagen ID. 4.

Photo: Volkswagen
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