The new Volkswagen ID.4 electric vehicle promises to be a very intriguing SUV thanks to its new cutting-edge chassis.
The company explained that the driver will have the ultimate driving experience due to four enhancements.
The first one will be the strategic position of the battery as it is located between the axles at the lowest point of the car, although this is common in pure battery electric vehicle designs. This positioning benefits the centre of gravity and weight distribution: with all drive variants, it deviates from the ideal value by no more than one percent.
Also, the German manufacturer has engineered a complex new development of a compact five-link suspension with a subframe that is elastically connected to the body. Parts of the suspension are made of lightweight aluminium to reduce weight.
The robust E-SUV will be equipped with powerful brakes as the discs on the front axle of the ID.4 models with the 77-kWh battery will be 358 millimetres in diameter. Drum brakes will operate on the rear wheels. Their pads are designed to last the lifespan of the car and according to VW, corrosion will be impossible.
For the first time at Volkswagen, the steering system is located in front of the centre of the wheel, this position guaranteeing high stability during fast cornering. However, with the “Plus” sports package (in the top model ID.4 Max), the ID.4’s chassis takes on a whole new form. One of its two components is Progressive Steering, which works more directly as the steering angle increases.
Also, the ID.4 will have DCC adaptive chassis control, which will work depending on the road surface and the driving situation. It will regulate the characteristics of the damper on each wheel 200 times per second enabling a high level of ride comfort or a tight connection to the road.
The car will be equipped with the Driving Dynamics Manager, which has already been introduced in the new Golf. This controls the wheel-selective brake interventions of the XDS electronic transverse drive lock and the work of the DCC damper control. It uses a digital target model to achieve optimum driving and steering behaviour in every situation. As soon as the vehicle turns into a corner, the ID.4 behaves more spontaneously, linearly and accurately.
The ID.4, Volkswagen’s first fully electric SUV, will be launched after the 1ST Edition with eight preconfigured models. The high-voltage battery is available with 52 or 77 kWh energy capacity, the range is up to 520 kilometres / 325 miles (WLTP). The electric motor is available in three power levels between 109 kW (148 PS) and 150 kW (204 PS).