Volkswagen I.D. Crozz EV Coming to U.S. by 2020

Volkswagen I.D. Crozz EV Coming to U.S. by 2020

Published: August 16, 2017 | By: American Luxury Staff

This past April, in a calculated one-two punch, the Volkswagen group let the world have a look at the plug-in crossover EV which the company is positioning as its answer to its European and American—and soon, Chinese—competitors; it also announced a planned 250-site highway network of fast-charging stations as a partial settlement for the so-called ‘Dieselgate’ debacle which tarnished the company’s image as an ecologically-conscious automaker.

This aspect of the settlement is significant: in concert with the planned introduction of the I.D. Crozz production model in the U.S., it establishes a pre-existing or concurrently developed network of stations allied to the brand, laying the groundwork for the populist leap to all-electric in the U.S. marketplace. Tesla is currently the only EV carmaker to have a network of brand-associated quick-charge plug-in stations in the U.S., and VW is in a hurry to play catch-up, and perhaps position itself as a prime competitor for Tesla ahead of its European brethren. VW is also funding public education relating to the benefits and mundane realities of EVs, and they are funding community charging stations. As a settlement for Dieselgate, it looks very much like artfully strategic positioning.

This week, VW unveiled the third phase of the campaign, with the revealment of definite production plans for the I.D. Crozz, accompanied by the proclamation that the production version of the vehicle will be in U.S. showrooms in 2020. The car’s front and back axle batteries collectively produce over 300 horsepower of AWD, giving the car a top speed of 112 MPH; the car will have a full-charge range of 311 miles. Interior features include a full head-up display and autonomous driving mode.

The Crozz will employ VW’s Modular Electric Drive Kit, a platform which will provide the powertrain backbone for a variety of VW Group plug-in models. MEB uses space-efficient batteries to pack in more power and extend range, and simplifies multi-model EV production.

The I.D. range using the MEB platform will also include the I.D., and the I.D. Buzz, a plug-in camper van aptly named to succeed the previous incarnations of the model, with bohemian associations intact.

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