Volkswagen has unveiled its new ID.5, the company’s first electric SUV coupe.
The ID.5, and the sporty ID.5 GTX, are the latest models in the Wolfsburg-based company’s expanding EV lineup. The Id.5 will be powered by a single, rear-mounted electric motor whilst the ID.5 GTX gets motors on both the front and rear axles.
“The ID.5 is electric, sporty and elegant. Our premium SUV coupé with all-electric drive marks another milestone in our ACCELERATE strategy,” says Ralf Brandstätter, brand CEO.
“It offers locally carbon-neutral driving enjoyment for a discerning customer group. We are breaking into a completely new market segment with this model.”
However, rather than simply rehashing the ID-series tried and trusted formula in a new body shape, the ID.5 models promise a new generation of software.
According to VW, the new software generation 3.0 allows for over-the-air updates and activation of additional functions so that the ID.5 can stay up-to-date for a long time.
This new software allows for Travel Assist with swarm data. This should give drivers an “even more relaxed and predictive driving experience.” The ID.5 series also comes with optional Park Assist Plus with a memory function that will take care of personalised parking processes on demand.
Similarly, the ID.5 series gets an optional augmented reality heads-up display that can present additional information to the driver. Voice control – called Hallo ID – is now learning enabled and can access information in the cloud. VW’s We Connect services provide the driver with real-time online traffic information, online map updates, information about charging stations, web radio, and more.
Also new is the electronic Vehicle Dynamics Manager.
“[It] is a groundbreaking development by Volkswagen,” says Thomas Ulbrich, member of the Board of Management for Technical Development.
“We have networked it with other important control systems, and it is also integrated with the all-wheel control function. This brings an entirely new level of sporty driving pleasure, traction and driving safety.”
Despite the ID.5 series’ SUV design, both models have low drag coefficients – 0.26 and 0.27 for the ID.5 and ID.5 GTX, respectively. These figures help extend the range in both vehicles, with the ID.5 managing up to 323 miles from a single charge, though the ID.5 GTX won’t make it quite as far.
Performance figures aren’t too much to write home about, however. The entry-level ID.5 will hit 62 mph in 10.4 seconds before hitting a (presumably limited) top speed of 99 mph. The mid-range Pro Performance variant gets 29 extra horsepower, reducing the sprint to 62 to 8.4 seconds, while the top speed remains the same.
The ID.5 GTX gets 295 horsepower from its dual motors, while the 0-62 mph time is chopped to 6.3 seconds with a top speed of 112 mph. The range drops to 304 miles.
Both models are set to be manufactured in VW’s Zwickau plant and the company is claiming that they will be carbon-neutral upon customer delivery.
In the UK, prices are expected to start from around £47,000 and they should be able to order early next year.
