VW begins pre-series production of the ID.5 in Zwickau

VW brand chief Ralf Brandstätter has now confirmed that the coupé SUV, which is being assembled in Zwickau alongside the ID.4 and ID.3, will hit the market in the second half of 2021. This fits with the tweet from VW Saxony, which shows a first ID.5 on the production line. The ID.5 is likely to be positioned above the ID.4 as an SUV coupé. It is expected to start with the 150-kW motor and the large 77-kWh battery, and VW is also likely to offer a GTX all-wheel-drive version here, which adds the 75 kW electric motor at the front axle to the 150 kW motor, resulting in a system output of 225 kW. It will be interesting to see if VW also introduces the ID.5 with the smaller 52 kWh battery and the 125 kW motor.  

Due to its better aerodynamics, the ID.5 could be slightly more efficient than the ID.4, which is why it is likely to exceed the current maximum WLTP range of the ID.4, which is 522 kilometers. Interestingly, the coupé SUV, unlike the ID.4, is not yet intended to be sold globally.  Development board member Thomas Ulbrich noted in November 2020 that a worldwide sale is not planned initially. At that time, he told “Automobilwoche”: “Worldwide, the basic model comes first, and that is the ID.4.” VW has not yet named prices for the ID.5 – but they are likely to be noticeably higher than those of the ID.4.

What does this mean?

At VW, things are moving quickly now: Following the ID.4, the “coupé version” ID.5 will follow very soon – meaning they are already very well positioned electrically. It is somewhat surprising that they seem to be waiting with the ID.5 internationally – even though coupé SUVs sell just as well as “standard SUVs”.