VW Says ID.4 Is just too Boring to Get a Excessive Efficiency R Model

Once we reviewed the Volkswagen ID.4, we didn’t precisely suppose it was a foul automobile, however we additionally didn’t suppose it was an amazing one. Actually, it was tremendous. An honest EV. If all you need is an electrical automobile, the ID.4 is an electrical automobile. So we’re not precisely stunned to listen to VW affirm there gained’t be an I.D4 R, however what is shocking is simply how blunt they have been about it.

Prime Gear not too long ago spoke to Reinhold Ivenz, the pinnacle of Volkswagen’s R division, not lengthy after VW mentioned the R sub-brand will go all electrical by 2030. Contemplating VW plans to go all-electric too, we simply type of assumed that was the case, however oh effectively. Now it’s official.

Throughout that dialog, Ivenz defined that none of VW’s present EVs will get an R model as a result of the MEB platform is just too boring to make it definitely worth the improvement prices. Subsequent-gen EVs, however, are a unique story.

“For the MEB we mentioned ideas, we mentioned what the platform can supply us, and we mentioned that’s not sufficient for an R mannequin,” Ivenz instructed Prime Gear. “If you wish to make an R mannequin within the MEB world we should make a brand new platform for this, and that is too costly. So we’ve mentioned we’ll begin with the subsequent technology.”

Talking particularly in regards to the ID.4, Ivenz straight-up mentioned it’s “not a efficiency automobile.” Which is true, but it surely’s additionally not one thing you hear instantly from the corporate all that usually. “We’d like extra horsepower and we’d like a extra dynamic automobile,” he mentioned. “With a torque splitter and options that make the automobile extra sporty.”

That mentioned, don’t count on VW’s electrical efficiency automobiles to soften faces and destroy drag strips. They’re focusing on fast however not Tesla Plaid-level acceleration that extra mainstream consumers will be capable of recognize and in addition afford:

In the intervening time we are saying it’s about acceleration. 0-62mph in about 4 seconds. Not much less – that is unnecessary for us. At the moment our automobiles are round 4.0 to 4.5 from 0-62mph and we’d wish to retain that with EVs. We don’t desire a tremendous sports activities automobile. We’re part of Volkswagen, and our technique is to help the highest of quantity positioning. It’s not essential to have one thing with the pace of a Porsche Taycan. The automobiles can’t be too costly, or we’d lose the purchasers that we wish to attain.

So don’t count on a funds Taycan Turbo S with a VW badge anytime quickly. Bought it. That additionally sounds simply tremendous to us as a result of 0-to-60 instances within the low four-second vary are nonetheless fairly darn fast.