Volkswagen to launch its first electric vehicle ID.4 in India by 2024

German carmaker Volkswagen is set to bring its first electric vehicle to India next year with the launch of premium electric SUV ID.4.

ID.4 was launched globally in 2021 and is based on the ID Crozz concept, showcased at India's 2020 Auto Expo.

Based on the MEB (German: Modularer E-Antriebs Baukasten, English: modular electric-drive toolkit) platform, the premium electric SUV is the second EV from Volkswagen. It is likely to cost between Rs 50-60 lakh in India.

Featuring 20-inch alloy wheels, the SUV has a sleek aerodynamic design with an enclosed grille upfront. ID.4 comes with DRL headlamps, a chunky rear end, and a thick D-pillar. At the rear, the premium EV comes with a full-width LED bar, a blackened roof with spoiler, GTX badging on the boot, and a newly designed rear bumper.

Its cabin comes equipped with a large 12.0-inch infotainment display, a digital cluster, a panoramic sunroof, and a power-operated rear liftgate.

Adding more space to its SUV, Volkswagen ID.4's centre console has room for two bottle holders. This has been made possible since the parking brake lever and the gear selector have been removed from the electric SUV.

Volkswagen would be bringing its ID.4 as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) only, a strategy that has worked well for it in India in the past. In fact, its existing conventional engine models such as the Tiguan AllSpace and the T-Roc were brought in as CBU imports in limited numbers and were also sold out pretty quickly.

Kia India has adopted a similar EV strategy with its EV6 flagship. Limited numbers of the EV have been imported first, with more affordable, locally assembled models in the pipeline.

With an EPA estimated range of 440 km for ID.4 Pro, the SUV will charge from 10-80 per cent at a public fast charger in about 30-36 minutes, Volkswagen's website mentioned.

The EPA estimates are based upon vehicle-specific data from tests designed to replicate real-world conditions, which can significantly affect the charging economy.

A senior company official on Tuesday said that with the launch of ID.4, the company is to tap the opportunity in the fast-growing electric mobility space in India.

Volkswagen is expecting 25-30 per cent of its total sales in India to come from EVs by 2030 and the remaining from its internal combustion engine vehicles.

Volkswagen has also introduced a fleet of new variants of its existing conventional engine models, Taigun and Virtus, and is expecting a sales growth of 40-45 per cent this year.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars India Brand Director Ashish Gupta said the company is following a two-pronged strategy of premiumisation and electrification to strengthen its presence and enhance its position in India.

Asserting that electrification has to be “done now”, he told PTI adding that the industry has to start doing it now to be able to bring a mass electric car, in the timelines that the industry is looking at somewhere in between 2026-27. "That’s what most of the market is looking at in terms of mass electrification. We are looking at similar timelines."