Volkswagen’s ID family continues to grow. Standing for ‘Intelligent Design,’ the sub-brand represents the German automaker’s all-electric stable, with the ID.4 currently on sale in Canada; and the ID. Buzz and ID. Aero destined for our shores by 2024.
And while VW hasn’t committed to producing the just-revealed ID.Xtreme, an off-road adaptation of the ID.4 GTX — which is not available in Canada — the concept looks ready to roll. It was unveiled at the ID.Treffen event in Locarno, Switzerland last week.
As with all the ID vehicles, the Xtreme is based on VW’s modular electric-drive platform (MEB), but with a good dose of software upgrades to bring out the beast in the all-wheel drive concept. It shares the same dual-electric-motor configuration as the ID.4 GTX, but gets a more powerful rear-drive motor, and horsepower is increased to 285 kW (382hp) over the GTX’s 220 kW (295 hp) thanks to those software tweaks.
The ID.Xtreme was unveiled in Locarno, Switzerland Photo by Volkswagen
Cosmetic additions include 18-inch off-road wheels, a front bumper with a modified crash bar, 50-mm-wider wings, and LED lights on the roof. The suspension is also raised to improve off-road capability. And to add to its rugged ambience, the concept has a unique sound that is projected externally through a speaker in a wheel well.
Cabin upgrades include Alcantara trim, heavily bolstered seats, and orange accents throughout.
Keyword: VW goes Extreme with all-electric off-road ID.4 concept