Volkswagen has provided more clarity on its ID range of all-electric vehicles, including the return of the GTX moniker as the line-up’s performance designation.
In an exclusive interview with Britain’s Autocar, Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter, who replaced Herbert Diess back in June, confirmed that the GTX will initially be limited to ID.4 where it will utilise a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system for an output of 224kW/460Nm, a considerable jump over the standard model’s single motor setup rated at 150kW/309Nm. Top speed will be capped at 180 km/h with the 0-100 km/h sprint over in a claimed 6.2 seconds.
Despite the output, the ID.4 GTX will have a claimed a range of 460 km between trips to the plug, 60 km more than its sibling in spite of featuring the same 82 kWh battery pack. Production will initially take place at the Zwickau Plant before moving to the Emden facility once manufacturing of the Passat sedan ends after 2023. A coupe-inspired model, the ID.5, will join later using the same MEB platform and with the same outputs.
The initiator of the ID line-up, the ID.3, will benefit from two new charging system rated at 130 kW and 170 kW respectively, with the latter poised to have an available range of 195 km after a 10 minute spell plugged-in. The range-topping 77 kWh model will also come with a software update that will increase the range from 550 km to 580 km.
On course to debut in 2022, the ID Buzz will serve as the ID range’s halo model and adopt the ID.7 moniker with Brandstätter saying it will have a range of around 400 km despite being the biggest MEB underpinned model with a quoted overall length of 4 962 mm, a wheelbase of 2 860 mm, height of 1 896 mm and width of 1 985 mm. Unlike the iconic T2 it is meant to mirror, the ID Buzz will only provide seating for seven.
In 2023, the range will spawn a sedan in the shape of the ID.6 that could potentially replace the Passat. It too will feature a GTX model and according to Research and Development Head Frank Welsch, derive motivation from the biggest battery the MEB can accommodate, an 84 kWh unit capable of providing a range of 700 km. Like the ID.4 and ID.5, the expected production version of the 2018 ID Vizzion Concept will be made at the Emden plant.
Ruled out is the ID Ruggedzz SUV earmarked for 2025 and, as indicated in June, the ID Buggy recreation of the iconic Beach Buggy after the chosen partnership firm, e:Go Mobile, descended into bankruptcy. In spite of submitting trademark applications for the nomenclature, e-Kübel, a reference to the World War II Kübelwagen that become the production Type 181 or Thing, as well as e-Beetle, e-Samba and e-Karmann, no mentioning of these becoming reality was made.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.