Fully electric vehicles (EVs) like the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for dieselgate. The cheating scandal perpetrated by Volkswagen shook the automotive world to its core back in 2016 … and the rapid rise of EVs is the result. Now, no longer curiosities globally, a whole new type of EV like the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro is putting combustion-engine cars on the endangered species list. But a broader mindset shift sees Silicon Valley-style innovation taking over the mantle from Motor City pragmatism. The likes of Tesla have forced long-established car manufacturers to take their heads out the sand, shake off the rust, and tackle EV mobility head-on.
The fact that a Volkswagen ID.4 Pro is sat before me is testament to just how quickly the mobility landscape can and will continue to change. A few years ago, I attended the world reveal of the Golf-sized ID.3 in Frankfurt, based on the new fully electric platform (codenamed MEB) used here, too. It was meant to be a radical departure from what had come before for VW, to put dieselgate firmly in the rearview mirror. Now this ground-up Volkswagen ID.4 represents the family SUV of EVs – a Tiguan with batteries and a character that’s as bright and hopeful as its appearance.
VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 PRO
We should probably explain that Volkswagen South Africa does nothing in half measures. So, the introduction of the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro will take place in a measured fashion. First, this unit and others like it are being evaluated across the country. 2025 will see the firm launch a leasing scheme for its EVs. And, finally, if all goes to plan, VWSA will start to retail the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro to customers by 2026. There are many sensible business reasons for this. Principal amongst them is the fact that most EVs globally are leased (64%) rather than bought outright. Another reason is the speed at which electric motor and battery technology is evolving at.
Nevertheless, upon first meeting, the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro appears to trade heavily off its IQ LED light arrangement, sleek bodywork (0.28 drag Cd) and up-sized 19-inch wearing chunky side-walled tyres. Unlike the R-Line, the Pro is considered a pared-down, base-spec vehicle, so its relatively spartan outside and in. Likewise, there are no shocks awaiting you when climb aboard. The cabin provides a very Germanic experience. The dashboard architecture is modern, if a little austere. Crucially, for a people’s car, it is ergonomically sound. And there is plenty of space for front and rear occupants. Not even the aerodynamically tapered roofline makes a dent on usable utility space, which registers at 543 and 1 575 litres with the rear seats up and reclined respectively.
HOW DOES IT DRIVE?
After an initial exploration to coerce some dynamism from the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro (to a cacophony of flexing sidewall and tyre squeal) we soon settled down into a sedate, silent EV drive. It’s happy space. Electric drive is sent to the rear axle, but squidgy suspension to deal with the car’s overall weight (well over two tonnes) leaves the nose rising and dipping like a boat in windswept harbour. From the helm, the ID.4 feels safe and effortless but pretty remote.
Total energy content from the battery is 77 kWh, which permits a maximum theoretical cruising range of up to 531 km. Predicted range when we took over the vehicle was just shy of 500 km, which is an impressive day-to-day figure. The electric motor sends 150 kW and 310 Nm of torque to the driven wheels. VWSA says from standstill to 100 km/h takes just 8.5 seconds. And the top speed is limited for safety reasons to 160 km/h. It’s claimed/combined energy consumption is 16.5 kWh/100 km. In terms of performance, the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro excels in quickness rather than speed. Which makes it the perfect urban hussle-round, going from point A to B.
AND TO LIVE WITH?
To live with every day, the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro is a breath of fresh air. The vast majority of EVs we’ve reviewed are hugely power and ostentatious. So, climbing into the relatively modest cabin of the ID.4 Pro was jarring at first. However, we quickly began to appreciate the philosophy behind the interior. It is meant to provide more of a lounge-like environment for all passengers. Quiet, relaxing and calm. Tactile quality is high, and all the self-driving tech is in attendance, even if the overall execution is a little restrained.
Volkswagen believes ID.4 customers will be innovators, early adopters. Research where the car is already sold shows 80% of customers are new to the brand and live in major cities. Volkswagen is fully committed to going electric if there is a market in a particular region. It’s the largest carmaker globally to make a major course correction from combustion to EV. And all over the world, people and governments are starting to see value in that switch. Moreover, if and when you sit in an ID.4, you feel like you’re part of the future, and not stuck in the past.
THE VERDICT
Deny it all you want, but as the march of technology continues, the rise of EVs is undeniable. Ample ride height, spacious interior, silent powertrain and seamless reaction from the electric motor is eminently covetable. In certain ways, being an early EV adopter comes with some huge upsides in South Africa, too. Eskom seems to have fixed the electricity supply for now (200 days no load-shedding). And GridCars says South Africa ranks in the top 5% for charging stations versus EVs on the road. So, you’ll rarely have to wait when you pull up at a public charger to replenish your battery. What’s not to love!?
THE FIGURES
- Volkswagen ID.4 Pro
- Drivetrain: Permanent magnet synchronous motor
- Total energy: 77 kWh
- Power: 150 kW, 310 Nm
- Performance: 8.5 seconds – 0-100 km/h / top speed 160 km/h (limited)
- Gearbox: 1-speed
- Efficiency: 16.5 kWh/100 km (claimed/combined)
- Maximum range: 531 km (claimed)
- Tyres: Hankook Ventus S1 evo – 235/55 R19
- Price: na
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