How VW's electric SUV Is Best On The Trailer
Volkswagen is finalising its first electric SUV, the ID.4, which promises, among many other features, a higher than normal load capacity. According to the German brand, what will be your second electric vehicle, after ID.3, will be able to pull 1900 kg trailers, if equipped with brakes.
It is already known that ID.4 will start the reservation phase on September 24th, promising more interior space than ID.3, especially in length, height and volume of the luggage compartment. But more than that, it has the capacity to tow 1900 kg, a very high value when compared to the 2250 kg of a Model X, Tesla's flagship SUV, much larger and more powerful. Just for comparison, the Jaguar I-Pace, which is also bigger and more powerful than the ID.4, does not exceed 750 kg.
VW has not yet revealed the specifications of the ID.4 in question, whether it has two engines and all-wheel drive or just one and rear-wheel drive, let alone what is the capacity of the battery in question. It remains to be seen what effect the ability to pull 1900 kg can have on the vehicle's range, which points to around 500 km if equipped with the 82 kWh battery.
As in the case of models equipped with combustion engines, electric vehicles also see consumption soar whenever they pull a trailer with a more generous weight. In a comparison made between a Model X and a Toyota Land Cruiser VX, this Japanese jeep being one of the best on the market in the art of pulling, it became evident that battery-powered trams lose more autonomy than models equipped with conventional combustion engines . In view of the need to tow a 1746 kg trailer over a 160 km course, Tesla saw consumption increase from 21.4 kWh / 100 km to 43 kWh, an increase of 101%.
Meanwhile, and in the face of the same request, Toyota's jeep only increased consumption from 11.1 l / 100 km to 18.1, which corresponds to an increase of 63%. It should be recalled that the Japanese model mounted a 4.2 V8 turbo-diesel engine with 272 hp, powered by a 93-liter tank, while the North American used two electric motors with a total of 525 hp, powered by a 100 kWh battery. This means that, for such a high weight to tow, it is better to have twice the consumption, that is, half the autonomy.