Entry ID.4 is a rebate car, others price above Government’s assistance.

PRICING for the conjoined ID.4 (top) and ID.5 (directly above) crossovers that head Volkswagen’s electric vehicle push into New Zealand qualifies one edition for the Clean Car rebate that is driving consumer swing to new battery-dedicated cars.

The ID.4 Pro is the $8625 refund earner, with a price of $79,990 drive away – just $10 under the cut-off for the Government’s package. This base model sites $10,000 below the price of the other ID.4 to sell here, in a Pro Plus trim.

Meantime, the ID.5, which differs in styling by affecting a coupe-inspired sloping roofline - whereas the ID.4 has more a traditional sports utility silhouette - will cost $85,490 in Pro and $94,490 in Pro Plus. The ID.4 Pro Plus and ID.5 prices all exclude on-roads.

Though prices are out now, VW is signalling that the cars could be up to 10 months away, with a mid-2023 launch indicated.

The NZ-market derivatives all configure with a 150kW/310Nm single motor driving the rear wheels, fed by a 77kWh liquid cooled lithium ion battery. Cited range for all is 485 kilometres. Average energy consumption is 14.5kWh/100km.

Internationally, the line start with a 109kW/220Nm rear-drive model that uses a 55kWh battery pack to enable a range of 346km, and peaks with the all-wheel drive ID.4 GTX performance variant with 220kW, a 82kWh battery and an official (claimed) range of around 482km.

There is no information yet about the potential of NZ seeing other variants beyond those whose pricing has just been shared with VW dealers, ahed of release in mid-2023.

The NZ market drivetrain allows for DC fast charging as well as AC replenishment – the first takes as little as 40 minutes on a 125kW and above rapid charger. Charging on a wallbox is an eight hour effort; replenishment off a three-pin plug is a 36 hour job.

Full specification details for the cars has yet to be shared, but it appears the Pro Plus has a higher-grade infotainment, though both model lines have wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

Both have heated microfibre-covered seats, but the Pro Plus front chairs have a full range of electric adjustment and also massage function. The Pro cars run on 19-inch rims with 235/55 front and 255/50 rear rubber, and the Pro Plus is on 20-inchers on 235/50 and 255/45 tyres.

Despite the difference in rooflines, the cars have identical luggage capacities, cite at 543 litres to 1655 litres.

Other ID models are coming, but it has also previously stated ambition for the ‘4’ and ‘5’ will to be its high volume EVs and foils to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y.

The battery-pure family’s first-born, the ID.3 hatchback, does not figure in VW NZ’s plans for now, but might yet avail here in NZ-new form when the car undergoes a mid-life facelift, MotoringNZ.com has been told.

That seems likely to occur next year, as it went into production in 2020. At present, the ID.3 comes to NZ as a parallel import, through private channels, sourced from the United Kingdom.

VW NZ has been battling for ID supply for almost two years, but various factors have always stymied. Even so, this country appears an early adopter within the region.

VW NZ already has an assessment example of the ID.4 that has been shown in an Auckland mall and is expected to go on national tour.

In addition to the two ID cars, VW here is also ramping up to introduce the Buzz/Cargo van next year.

In comment supplied to media today, VW NZ general manager Greg Leet expressed confidence the pricing gives his brand good positioning within the EV market segment.

“To launch the ID. product range with our mid-sized ID.4 SUV below the …clean car rebate threshold of $80,000 was imperative. We believe this will be very important in helping to support our customers that choose to transition to an electrified Volkswagen.

“Our team has been working extremely hard with our factory and are absolutely delighted to be in a position to release this key information today, which is a milestone moment for our brand.

“We are very fortunate to be in this position, as New Zealand will be one of the first countries outside of Europe and the United States to launch the ID. range .”