Volkswagen Unveils Electric SUV ID.4 Chassis... "Combining Driving Stability and Dynamism"

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Volkswagen unveiled the chassis specifications of its first pure electric sports utility vehicle (SUV), the ID.4, on the 27th.

The ID.4 aims to be a versatile vehicle that satisfies comfortable acceleration at high speeds and agile driving in urban and suburban roads. To achieve this, Volkswagen poured all of its brand expertise into perfecting the chassis, with particular focus on the mechanical precision of components and the electronic control system.

Karsten Schepsdart, Head of Volkswagen Driving Dynamics, Steering, and Control Systems, explained, "The pure electric SUV ID.4, along with the compact ID.3, is a model that offers drivers an enjoyable driving experience. Volkswagen implemented numerous ideas and new control systems through the chassis to further enhance the safety and driving pleasure of the ID.4."

Sporty Handling... Battery Positioned Between Axles to Lower Center of Gravity

The ID.4, which achieves sporty handling with a low center of gravity, provides drivers with driving enjoyment. The rear-wheel-drive model guarantees strong traction, noticeable to drivers when following traffic signals on wet roads. The high-voltage battery is located between the axles at the lowest part of the vehicle body, efficiently balancing the weight distribution to maintain an ideal 50:50 ratio within 1% under all driving conditions.

The front suspension of the ID.4 is designed in a 'MacPherson strut' format with a steering ratio of 15.9:1. For the first time in Volkswagen vehicles, the steering system is positioned ahead of the wheel center, ensuring high stability even during high-speed cornering. The rear suspension features a newly developed sophisticated 5-link suspension combined with a subframe organically connected to the body. Suspension components are made of lightweight aluminum, contributing to the vehicle's weight reduction.

Large Wheels and Powerful Brakes

The ID.4 comes standard with 18-inch wheels made of steel or aluminum. The ID.4 Life trim is equipped with 19-inch wheels as standard, while higher trims offer optional 20-inch or 21-inch lightweight alloy wheels. Although the large wheels occupy considerable space within the wheel arches, the ID.4 boasts a turning radius of approximately 10.2 meters, which is relatively small compared to vehicles in the same class.

The wheels feature a flat design optimized aerodynamically and are fitted with tires that have low rolling resistance. Entry-level models such as the ID.4 Pure and ID.4 City have tires with a width of 235mm on both front and rear, with cross-sectional differences depending on wheel size. Other ID.4 models come equipped with 235mm front tires and 255mm rear tires.

The ID.4 also features a powerful brake energy regeneration system. The front axle discs of ID.4 models equipped with a 77kWh battery have a diameter of 358mm. Drum brakes operate on the rear wheels, and these pads help maintain the vehicle's lifespan. Although these brakes are rarely used during everyday driving, they are designed to resist corrosion. Most gentle braking is performed solely by the electric motor, which recovers energy during the process.

Active Steering, Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC), and Driving Modes

By selecting the 'Plus' sport package available on the top-tier ID.4 Max model, drivers can experience a completely new form of the ID.4 chassis. Thanks to active steering, the steering ratio changes from 15.9:1 to 14.5:1 as the driver turns the steering wheel more, allowing for more responsive handling. Additionally, the Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC) adjusts differently according to road surface and driving conditions, modifying the damper characteristics of each wheel 200 times per second to provide a high level of ride comfort and smooth driving feel.

DCC and active steering are linked to the driving profile selection, enabling drivers to choose from four modes. Through DCC, drivers can select one of the Eco, Comfort, or Individual driving modes, with additional setting options available via the central display. For example, drivers can choose an intermediate level between Comfort and Sport or adjust the two modes more extremely to experience a much more comfortable or dynamic driving feel.

Stable Cornering with Electronic Body Control

With electronic body control, the ID.4 delivers stable and natural cornering as desired by the driver. The electronic body control, which works closely with ESC, has also been introduced in the new Volkswagen Golf. The body control system intervenes by selectively braking each wheel through the XDS electronic differential lock and controls the DCC dampers.

ESC interacts closely with the control units of the electric motor and power electronics. Although rear-wheel-drive vehicles tend to oversteer, the networking ensures that the ID.4's rear wheels maintain stable grip in all situations, including maximum acceleration, fast cornering, and deceleration during brake energy recovery.

The ID.4 will be launched with a total of eight trims. As Volkswagen's first pure electric SUV and the brand's first volume electric model, the ID.4 will be released in eight pre-configured models following the First Edition. It is equipped with either a 52kWh or 77kWh high-voltage battery, boasting a driving range of up to 520 km (WLTP standard). The electric motor offers three power levels ranging from 109kW (148 horsepower) to 150kW (204 horsepower).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.