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Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

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Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#251

Post by elihu »

outworlder wrote: post #181
CuriousSkeptic wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not sure the larger batteries are even necessary. With an EV you can start each day fully charged. You just need enough battery to handle your daily commute and the few errands. What’s missing is something to handle those few occasions when you need to drive that extra distance. It seems kind of silly to try and cram that extra flexibility into the same vehicle.

> I’m not sure the larger batteries are even necessary. They are not. What's needed is expansion of the infrastructure. And that's not even about quick chargers. In cities you don't need them. What you need is standard level 2 chargers wherever you may want to go. Work, school, shopping, movie theaters, whatever. Most vehicles spend most of their day parked somewhere. They should be charging then. Larger batteries ar…

Big batteries would be nice for long trips. I'm working on an EV conversion right now that ought to get me a hundred miles of range when I'm done, which is good enough for about 98% of my regular driving. (Getting more range with a conversion can be tricky, as it would mean adding a lot of weight to the vehicle.) Sometimes it's nice to go to the beach, though... 100 miles would get me to the beach, but it's not enough get back. Most of the places I'd want to park my car for a day at the beach don't have chargers. And quick charging isn't going to be an option.

I hope eventually we get to point where we start adding electrification to major highways, so that vehicles don't even have to stop to charge. Then range will be much less of an issue.

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#252

Post by intrasight »

My opinion is that the industry has gone in the wrong direction with batteries. Cars should use swappable rechargeable batteries swapped by robots at the charging station. Faster pit stops and simpler batteries (no need for water-cooled, etc) and cheaper cars. And elimination of concern of battery warranty.

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#253

Post by codezero »

mhh__ wrote: post #54
codezero wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with your points in general, the main reason I don't want a Tesla is that they all look the same to me, across models, years, features, they just have a similar look and it's boring. I wish they also offered a wide range of body modifications to add some flavor and individuality to the car.

They really do look like the mid-range car in a video game. Not bad , but just a bit too American and safe for my eyes. I'm curious what a Cybertruck will actually end up looking like since they seem to have actually gone for risky with it.

I love the cybertruck just because it's so absurd, but unfortunately I think the novelty will wear off the first time you see another cybertruck on the road.

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#254

Post by JamilD »

rubicon33 wrote: post #242
fassssst wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea, I had a ID.4 pre-ordered but canceled it after I realized how absurd the price is. I bought a utility e-bike instead and that was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I barely use my car anymore and biking is way more fun and greener than any car.

I'll never understand this. You presumably are biking on the street, at best in a bike lane, at worst in the shoulder, and are placing so much confidence in other people to not hit you. Given how SHIT other people are at driving, I have no desire whatsoever to be on a bicycle in front of them.

I wonder how we escape this trap.

Cars are 1-2 ton machines that can kill you as a cyclist or pedestrian, and humans are awful at operating them. The solution is therefore apparently to put more of those machines on the road (for self-protection) instead of reducing the risk altogether?

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#255

Post by merb »

brokenintuition wrote: post #158
merb wrote: post #137

why does it says that it launches?! It launched last december/this years january in europe. heck, they even delivered some of them already. did it launch that late in usa? I tought it should launch in february in the usa.

I think deliveries from reservations in the US started in March. I bought one a few weeks ago because some dealers have gotten a few that weren't reserved, but for the most part it's still very limited supply in the US.

> very limited supply in the US

haha, thats for every car in the world ;-) in germany our e-up took way over a year to deliver.

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#256

Post by Tagbert »

rsync wrote: post #155
pkulak wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It looks like a Honda CUV or Toyota Rav-4 to me. Not sure where your outrage is coming from.

No, I'm asking - is this a VW, but electric, or is this an e-initiative space-car ? Genuinely unsure. I would classify the Chevy Bolt (which we own) as the latter .

The ID.4 could be considered to be an electric version of the VW Tiguan. It is similar in internal size and capacity and it targets the compact CUV customer but with electric drive train. It does use a newer platform. Even the styling is quite restrained and conservative compared to other EVs.

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#257

Post by rconti »

jseliger wrote: post #227
bognition wrote: post #177

Here is a great no frills review of the ID.4 https://youtu.be/3oC9sUiwyL8 The TL;DR is even if its electric its not a serious competitor to tesla. The UI is terrible as the drive is unable to find a charger while navigating to their destination. Electric car charging stations are going to look completely different the gas stations as they costs a few thousand dollars to install rather than a cool million for a gas st…

I just bought (co-bought) a Model Y, and and the Supercharger network meant that other electric cars were non-starters. Hyundai and Kia, for example, have Model Y competitors, but when I was looking at them, both directed would-be buyers to PlugShare.com for for non-local charging information: I invite anyone to look at that solution, and then look at the Supercharger solution. I also live in an apartment building, a…

We've got a 3, and I strongly agree. It's a lot of money (to me), and the car needs to be able to do normal-car things like roadtrips.

It would be one thing to buy a $10k commute appliance with limited range, but at $50k, it damn well better be able to be the "nice car" for roadtrips as well as for commuting.

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#258

Post by dreamcompiler »

admax88q wrote: post #125
toomuchtodo wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Understandable, but with governments banning new combustion vehicle sales, the electric transition and need to shift how vehicles are used will occur eventually. I don't think EVs will reach the exact UX of combustion vehicles, nor do they have to (most charging can occur at home at night, people rarely road trip and need to charge from 0 to 100 SOC in 5 minutes), but people will have to be accepting that the experie…

Totally, I definitely intend for my next vehicle to be electric despite my naysaying. I wish that EV vendors would let you "test drive" a vehicle over the course of a week. It's hard to imagine what your day to day charging experience would be by just driving around for an hour. For most people, myself included, I bet the charging will actually be a non issue, probably even more convenient than gas, but it still feel…

I used Turo.com to rent a Model S for several days in SoCal a couple of years ago, and took it for long drives that required supercharging. I'd probably never have bought a Tesla otherwise.

Turo is a more expensive than an ordinary rental car because not only are Teslas expensive, but with Turo you really should buy the insurance. (I'd read that personal insurance won't cover you in a Turo car like it will in a normal rental. Haven't verified this. Decided not to risk it.) But even with the expense it was a good way for me to get an idea of what Tesla ownership was like.

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#259

Post by hourislate »

jackson1442 wrote: post #178
foepys wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This shouldn't surprise anybody. Those are used for work like farms and are tax deductible.

Anyone who's driven on a highway in Texas knows this is likely untrue, at least for most F150 owners. I see a shocking number of pristine, washed and waxed F150s every single day when I'm driving. Those and Ram 1500s dominate the roads here. I don't even live in a rural area. I live in DFW.

I live in DFW also and you are correct. I'd take a guess that 80% of F150 owners live in a quiet suburban neighborhood and have never used the truck bed. What really is insane is the folks like a neighbor down the street who has an F250 Diesel Monster truck that has never seen any off road action except the time he drove on his grass backing out of the driveway. Same with all the Jeeps with oversized tires and 12k in tricked out off road gear, driven by soccer moms. I suppose it's some kind of status symbol like all the old farts buying Harley's and pretending they are some kind of bikers...shame they destroyed the brand.

Re: Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4

#260

Post by cjohansson »

fassssst wrote: post #102
Someone1234 wrote: post #62

I feel like the prices on electric vehicles are starting to become their biggest hurdle (instead of range, availability, or charging which are solved enough). If you're from California or New York, I'm sure $40K starting for this or a Model Y seems complexly within your means, but there's a large chunk of the US (by population AND land) where People love to spam $40K US "average" while entirely ignoring that the aver…

Yea, I had a ID.4 pre-ordered but canceled it after I realized how absurd the price is. I bought a utility e-bike instead and that was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I barely use my car anymore and biking is way more fun and greener than any car.

Regular bikes have the benefit that they improve your health, it's not exhaustive once you get a better stamina. E-bikes are a bad product I think in todays society
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