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What's Behind the 2022 VW ID.4 Getting More Range

Going farther with less downtime

  • written by
    Correspondent
    Austin Lott has worked in the automotive industry since 2014, writing and occasionally taking pictures of cars. He enjoys owning and driving older cars and learned the ropes in Southern California before relocating to a small town in Montana. Austin is a news writer for Edmunds, and his writing has appeared across the internet on MotorTrend, Diesel Power, Hagerty, Automobile and Super Street.
  • EPA-estimated range increases as much as 20 miles on some models.
  • Maximum charging speed at DC fast-charging stations has increased too.
  • EV powertrain is the same but benefits from refinement.

If you're considering an electric vehicle, the Volkswagen ID.4 is one of the more compelling picks in this growing segment. It should also be even more appealing for 2022 thanks to minor enhancements to range and charging speed.

Range increases across the lineup

When it was introduced in 2021, the ID.4 was rated by the EPA to go between 240 and 260 miles on a single charge. Those numbers have increased for 2022 models, some as much as 20 miles. The Volkswagen ID.4 comes in two trim levels, the Pro and Pro S, and with a single rear electric motor or a dual-motor setup that provides more power and all-wheel drive. RWD models see the most significant range increases.

Am I Ready for an EV?

  • EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.
  • If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.
  • Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.
Edmunds logo
Trim level
2022 ID.4 range
2021 ID.4 range
Difference
Pro280 miles260 miles+20 miles
Pro S268 miles250 miles+18 miles
AWD Pro251 miles249 miles+2 miles
AWD Pro S245 miles240 miles+5 miles

We asked a Volkswagen representative what allowed the jump in range. The battery and motors are still the same design, but the increase "comes from minor refinement and component maturity, such as more refined fit and finish over time in production," the representative said.

We're curious whether this boost in EPA range will hold true in Edmunds' real-world range test. We've yet to test the 2022 ID.4 but a 2021 ID.4 Pro, which had the 260-mile estimate, went 288 miles on a single charge on our test.

DC fast charging improves, too

Range improvements weren't the only wins for 2022: Volkswagen was able to improve the DC fast-charging speed from 125 kW to 135 kW, which means less time at the charger if you find one that can provide the right power output. How much time? Well, VW says it will typically only amount to a few minutes. But when it comes to EV charging, quicker is always going to be better.

The automaker also simplified the charging process for 2022. It says a new "Plug and Charge" feature will debut as an over-the-air-update this summer. It will allow owners to hook up their ID.4 to an Electrify America charging station and have it immediately recognize their car and start charging. This is how Teslas operate, and it should be an improvement over the current system that requires you to initiate the ID.4's charging process first through a smartphone app.

Prices have gone up

The 2022 Volkswagen ID.4 will start at $41,955 (including destination and handling charges), which is a $760 increase from 2021, while adding AWD bumps the starting price to $45,635. Though pricing seems to always climb upward no matter the automaker, getting range and charging-speed increases makes the modest increase more palatable.

Edmunds says

The ID.4 slots just below VW's Tiguan SUV and above the Taos in size. Yet the ID.4 reaps the benefits of being built from the ground up as an EV, and though it's physically smaller than the Tiguan, it has more space for passengers on the inside. It excels at practicality, and its enhanced range and fast-charging capabilities should keep it competitive against the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y.

Austin Lottby

Austin Lott has worked in the automotive industry since 2014, writing and occasionally taking pictures of cars. He enjoys owning and driving older cars and learned the ropes in Southern California before relocating to a small town in Montana. Austin is a news writer for Edmunds, and his writing has appeared across the internet on MotorTrend, Diesel Power, Hagerty, Automobile and Super Street.

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