The all-electric VW ID.4 SUV finally arrives in South Africa, but…

The VW ID.4 has finally made its way to South Africa, but the first customers are not expected to receive the fully electric SUV until 2026.

Volkswagen South Africa’s directive for the first local fleet of ID.4s, which are the EV equivalent of the mid-size Tiguan SUV, is to test local market readiness. For the remainder of this year, test vehicles will be sampled by the media, along with fleet and private customers.

Next year, yet-to-be-determined, tailored leasing offers will be introduced at dealerships, followed by traditional retail offers in 2026.

Fourth electric car of the VW ID.4 brand in South Africa

The ID.4 fleet is the fourth part of VW’s pre-market EV program. It started with a delivery of e-Golf test units in 2021, followed by a batch of the ID.3 hatchback in 2022. Last year, the ID.Buzz bus was introduced into the local fleet of logistics company DHL.

Despite a sharp decline in sales in Europe in the first quarter of 2024, the ID.4 is VW’s biggest EV success story. It was crowned World Car of the Year in 2021 and is the brand’s best-selling EV globally.

The VW ID.4 is powered by an electric motor on the rear axle, which is connected to a 77 kWh lithium-ion battery pack consisting of nine battery modules distributed over 10 compartments in the floor. It can be charged at up to 11 kW at AC chargers, 50 kW at DC fast chargers and 150 kW at DC super-fast chargers.

The system sends 150 kW of power and 310 Nm of torque to the rear wheels. For comparison: the 2.0 TDI Tiguan produces 130 kW/380 Nm and the 2.0 TSI 162 kW/350 Nm.

Why electric car sales in South Africa are slow

“We need to look at the reasons why electric cars have not taken off in South Africa,” said Niels Wiechmann, Volkswagen’s brand director for passenger cars, at the ID.4 launch in Sandton this week.

“The three biggest reasons are the lack of good incentives, the charging infrastructure and the instability of the electricity grid.

READ ALSO: Volkswagen packs more power and technology into the updated VW ID.4

“There has been improvement in all these areas. The publication of the White Paper Report by the government in late 2023 is a step in the right direction, while an improvement in energy supply is also encouraging. The rising price of petrol and more people relying on solar power also contribute to the positive outlook.”

Last year, only 902 electric cars were sold locally, but VW predicts that number will rise to over 10,000 by 2023.

Apply the lessons learned

Initial feedback from customers testing the e-Golf models has been generally positive, with the majority considering buying an EV. They were impressed by the instant torque on offer, the quietness of the ride and the ease of use.

But range anxiety and public charging infrastructure were major concerns.

By the time buyers finally get their hands on the VW ID.4, these things probably won’t be an issue. The ratio of electric vehicles to public charging stations has dropped from 8:1 in 2021 to 4:1 in 2023, while the ID.4 has an estimated range of 500 km.

VW ID.4 very economical

The Citizen Driving can happily confirm that this range is not a PR stunt. During a drive from Sandton to the Cradle of Humanity this week, we averaged between 16 and 17 kWh per 100 km. That would get you close to this figure. More regenerative braking in city traffic will bring the figure even lower.

The drive itself was an absolute delight. No matter how many EVs you’ve driven, the instant torque available when pulling away never gets old.

Driving the VW ID.4 is ridiculously simple and once you select B gear the regenerative braking is so powerful you can drive with one pedal.

READ ALSO: Skoda teases new small SUV coming to South Africa

The cabin is very spacious and features a 10-inch infotainment system with AppConnect connectivity and a 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster. 30-colour ambient lighting and a wireless charging pad are also standard.

Sleek yet functional

The sleek exterior is the result of a design that aims to keep aerodynamic drag low to maximise efficiency. It features LED daytime running lights, 19-inch Mahar alloy wheels and roof rails.

The standard safety systems of the VW ID.4 include adaptive cruise control, parking aid, front assist, lane keeping assist and pedestrian monitoring.

VW will also be busy expanding its EV dealer network in the coming years. There are currently five dealerships across the country that offer EV charging and service facilities, and another five that can service EVs. The ultimate goal is to have EV expertise in every dealership.

READ ALSO: Volvo EX30 a ‘Swedish shopping trolley’ ready to outdo supercars

Getting the house in order

Potential buyers will undoubtedly be disappointed that they have to wait another two years. But VW is making sure it gets off to a good start the day the ID.4 is available to the public. At that point, it will hopefully be more affordable than what it is currently selling for. We don’t know for sure, but we estimate that figure to be well over seven figures.

The all-electric VW ID.4 SUV is a great product that will undoubtedly work already. But it will undoubtedly do much better once the right environment is created for it.