The electrical design revolution. “The ID.4 represents the evolution of electric vehicle design,” explains Klaus Zyciora, Head of Design at the Volkswagen Group, who created the vehicle along with his team of designers. The exterior of the electric SUV exudes strength and confidence in a way that has never been seen before. It transfers the clean, flowing and powerful style of the ID. family into the SUV segment. Gentle, soft transitions alternate with sharp, clean edges – creating a design that appears to have been shaped by the wind. The ID.4 is an SUV in a completely new form.
Powerful front end. The flat front end symbolises the car’s robustness and strength. Air flows through a wide inlet in the lower area; a radiator grille is not needed. Large headlights give the electric SUV a friendly but focused expression. These consist almost completely of LEDs, even as standard. Each exterior mirror incorporates a small projection light, which casts a honeycomb pattern of light onto the ground when the door is opened. The honeycomb pattern is a common motif that is found in many areas of the models in the ID. family.
Like human eyes. The Design package equips the ID.4 with the IQ. Light with matrix LED headlights. Its light modules are made up of 18 individual LEDs each, eleven of which can be individually switched off and dimmed. Supported by an additional spotlight, they emit intelligently controlled continuous main beam illumination. They always light up the road as brightly as possible without dazzling other road users. The modules are reminiscent of human eyes. They are framed by illuminated rings that are flattened at the bottom. Honeycomb-shaped openings in their housing and all-round fibre optic cables generate the daytime running light. When the lights are switched on, a light strip joins the two headlights together.
The light modules communicate with the driver even before the ID.4 sets off: as soon as the driver approaches the vehicle with the key, they swivel from down to up. With the keyless locking and starting system Keyless Access (included in the Assist package), they then swivel to the side as well.
A seamless look. The vehicle body of the ID.4 is that of an athlete, with large wheels that hint at its sportiness and off-road suitability. The A-pillar starts a long way forwards, while a strong, wave-like shoulder line brings momentum into the vehicle body. On the muscular, arched flanks, light and shadow create an intense interplay of effects. The low, dynamic roof arch makes the vehicle appear long and stretched, running into the flat pillars.
New technology: the 3D LED tail light clusters. The tail light clusters in the ID.4 have been fully equipped with light-emitting diodes, and a red light strip connects them to each other. Volkswagen supplies innovative 3D LED tail light clusters in the Design package. Their curved tail light has a particularly homogeneous and three-dimensional effect. In each case, nine fibre optic cable elements emit the light in an unusually rich red. Each of these elements, consisting of several, thin layers, appears to be floating in front of a black background. The brake lights light up in the shape of an “X”.
Choice of six exterior colours. The ID.4 will be launched with six exterior colours. These are called Blue Dusk Metallic, Glacier White Metallic, Honey Yellow Metallic, Manganese Grey Metallic, Moonstone Grey and Scale Silver Metallic. All paintwork options apart from Scale Silver can be combined with the Exterior Style package. The roof and rear spoiler are painted black here, while the C-pillars, roof line and roof railing shine in silver. The add-on parts in the lower area of the body provide a contrast in bright Kantana Silver.
Aerodynamics and packaging
Drag coefficient of just 0.28. “The ID.4’s electrical design evolution also means that we paid close attention to the aerodynamics,” says Klaus Zyciora. The electric SUV achieves a very good drag coefficient of 0.28. The decisive factor in this is the flowing basic shape of the body with a greenhouse that is pulled sharply to the back. Multiple elements come into play to separate the flow at the rear: the large roof spoiler, the three-dimensional shape of the tail light clusters, and the diffuser that finishes the almost flat underbody at the rear.
The flush, electrically unlocked door handles are also designed to optimise air flow for minimum drag losses; the same goes for the wheel rims with their flat design. The electrically powered radiator blind in the vehicle front end only opens when the power units need cooling air.
Built around people. The architecture of Volkswagen’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) divides the space for people and technology in a way that has never been seen before. The overhangs are short; with a length of 4,584 millimetres, the compact electric SUV has a 2,766-millimetre wheelbase – almost as long as the Tiguan Allspace, which is 12 centimetres longer. The generously sized vehicle interior benefits from this. The high-voltage battery lies as a flat block underneath the passenger compartment, while the electric drive motor, power and control electronics for the electric drive and gearbox are located on the rear axle to save space. The short vehicle front end accommodates the radiator and large components of the air conditioning system.
In the body, sophisticated solutions help to reduce the weight – the side sills, for example, are made from aluminium and ultra high-strength steel. This construction has another advantage: in the event of a side collision or impact against a pole, it absorbs the acting force very well.
Vehicle interior and convenience features
As much space as in a large SUV. The vehicle interior in the ID.4 is a generous Open Space. Getting in is easy, and visibility is good because the driver and up to four passengers sit comfortably high up. In the second row of seats, there is a similar amount of legroom to a Tiguan Allspace, while the headroom on all five seats is slightly better, too. The luggage compartment holds 543 litres of luggage, a figure that increases to 1,575 litres after folding down the backrests (loaded to roof height). The roof railings are fitted as standard, and the permitted roof load is 75 kilograms.
Air and light. The calm interior design emphasises the light and airy feeling of space. The dash panel appears to float as it is not connected to the centre console. Its front section drops down towards the interior in steps, while painted decorative trim separates the top and bottom halves. In the Design Plus package, Volkswagen offers customers a tilting panoramic sunroof that stretches across almost the entire surface of the roof. An electric blind prevents the interior from heating up on sunny days.
Seats with a high standard of safety. The front seats in the ID.4 offer state-of-the-art safety technology. Their head restraints reduce the risk of whiplash in the event of a rear-end collision. In the event of a side collision, the central airbag deploys from the right-hand bolster of the driver’s seat, preventing the driver and front passenger from colliding with one another. In all equipment packages, the seats feature armrests on the inner side, and seat heating also comes as standard (not in the ID.4 Pure or ID.4 Pro). The front passenger seat and outer rear seats are fitted with ISOFIX anchorages for child seats as standard.
Intelligent centre console. There are spacious stowage areas in the doors and long centre console for everyday items. The centre console incorporates a double drink holder for the front compartment and a roller shutter for the rear compartment, which also contains a mobile telephone stowage area. When combined with the Comfort package, the centre console offers even more: the rear compartment can be divided as required using separators, the mobile telephone compartment is illuminated, and for rear passengers there are two USB-C charging sockets in addition to the two front sockets.
Four interior variants. There are two interior options available for each ID.4 model. The first option after the basic equipment is the Interior Style option. It includes stainless steel pedals with a Play & Pause design, ambient lighting with 30 colours, a heated steering wheel and split, folding rear backrests with a load-through hatch and centre armrest. Interior Style Plus comes with seats that are equipped with twelve electrical adjustment options. These seats also include a lumbar support, a memory function and even a massage function. The interior Top Sport Plus package additionally features integrated head restraints and high seat bolsters. The electrically adjustable seats have been awarded the seal of approval from the German Campaign for Healthier Backs (AGR).
Materials and colours. The materials differ depending on the interior variant. Fabric material is standard; above this there is leatherette for the seat bolsters and ArtVelours microfleece for the centre sections. All seat covers are made of animal-free materials. For the dash panel, there is the colour option Florence Brown or the combination of Platinum Grey / Black. The steering wheel, steering column, display housings and control island in the door come in Black or gloss Piano Black. When combined with the Interior Style package or the Style Plus package, the customer is also able to order these components in Electric White.
High-quality finish. The interior in the ID.4 impresses with its high standard of workmanship. A soft foam skin with a thickness of seven to eight millimetres covers the top section of the dash panel. This features contrasting stitching in packages from Interior Style and above. The vents on the driver and front passenger sides have understated chrome trim. In the front doors, the upper parapets are pleasantly soft, while the armrests in all four doors are padded.
A quiet journey. The ID.4 is unusually quiet. One reason for this is the sophisticated aero-acoustics, which come into play in details such as the shape of the exterior mirror housings and the acoustic windscreen (in the Comfort package). The second factor is the sophisticated insulation measures in the vehicle body. They significantly reduce air and body vibrations produced by the drive, running gear and tyres. They therefore add to the impression of almost silent power development in the electric SUV.
The convenience functions. The Comfort package includes a host of features that make a trip on board the ID.4 even more pleasant. The windscreen, window washer system jets and leather steering wheel can be heated. A rain sensor and the top-of-the-line version of the centre console available in two designs complete the package. Standard features in all ID.4 models include the ten-colour ambient lighting, the speed limiter and Air Care Climatronic. This is coupled with an electric stationary air conditioning system, which can also be activated when the car is not charging from the mains power grid. In the Comfort package, the Climatronic system comes with two-zone control, while the Comfort Plus package has three-zone control.
Highly efficient heat pump. Volkswagen offers an optional highly efficient heat pump (standard in the ID.4 Max), which heats and cools the vehicle interior with the waste heat from the electrical components and heat from the air outside the vehicle. As a refrigerant, it uses environmentally-friendly CO2, which flows through the circuit at high pressure. The heat pump significantly reduces range losses caused by the air conditioning system – especially in the winter, as its function replaces electrical heating element.
Equipped for anything. With the Comfort Plus package, the ID.4 is ideally equipped for all the challenges of day-to-day life and your leisure activities. It comes with a double luggage compartment floor, a net partition and a luggage net. On request, Volkswagen equips all ID.4 models with a towing bracket for trailers up to 1,000 kilograms (braked, 12 percent gradient). Another option is the Easy Open & Close electric boot lid, which can be opened with a simple foot movement. This is part of the Assist Plus package.
Operating and display concept
The display in front of the driver. The dash panel in the ID.4 does without physical buttons and switches. The most important information is shown on a compact 5.3-inch display in front of the driver. The driver can operate the display with the standard multifunction steering wheel, whose buttons provide haptic feedback. The driver controls the drive modes and the parking lock with the rocker switch on the right of the display.
The central display and “Hello ID.”. The central touch display is located in the middle of the dash panel, slightly angled towards the driver. It has a 10-inch screen diagonal as standard, while the version in the Infotainment Plus package measures 12 inches.The driver uses this display to manage the telephone system, navigation system, entertainment functions, assist systems and the vehicle setup. Sliders for volume and temperature adjustment are located below the display. The second operating level is the natural voice control function “Hello ID.”. This understands many everyday phrases and is able to access knowledge from the Cloud online.
ID. Light. The electric SUV comes equipped with the ID. Light system as standard – this is a light strip that runs under the windscreen and provides the driver with intuitive support. It uses various light pulses to signal statuses such as readiness to drive, turn instructions from the navigation system, brake prompts or the charge level of the battery while charging.
Augmented reality head-up display. The Infotainment Plus package provides the ID.4 with an augmented reality head-up display. This projects important information onto the windscreen, separating this data into two display areas – which is a world first. The flat lower window shows the speed, road signs and assist and navigation symbols as static displays. They appear to float a good three metres in front of the driver.
The true innovation is the dynamic display in the large window, which seems to appear around ten metres away in the driver’s direct line of sight. A field measuring approx. 70 inches across the diagonal shows lane markings from the assist systems and turn arrows and destination points from the navigation system. All symbols are positioned perfectly in line with the real world outside the vehicle and are shown dynamically: as the vehicle approaches a turn, the arrow increases in size and also becomes transparent to keep visibility clear. When Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or Travel Assist is active, the vehicle in front of the ID.4 is marked with a coloured stripe. And even if the assist systems are switched off, the driver sees a red warning signal if the ID.4 gets too close to the vehicle in front.
At the technical heart of the augmented reality head-up display is an unusually bright LCD display inside the dash panel. Mirrors reflect the rays generated by this display onto the windscreen, while special lenses separate the portions for the close and far range display levels. Using data from the front camera, radar sensor and navigation map, an AR creator calculates where the symbols are projected into the display window. This stabilises them with respect to the vehicle’s movements and adapts them to the geometry of the optical projection system.