ID Crozz is the future of electric crossovers, VW-style
It's got a weird name, but it's actually pretty darn sensible.
Crossovers are hot, and will likely continue to be. Electric vehicles are coming up, too. Makes sense to put the two together, right?
Debuting at the Shanghai Motor Show, the ID Crozz is Volkswagen's third ID concept, following the ID at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, and the ID Buzz at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. All three are built on the same modular electric platform, MEB, that will underpin Volkswagen's future production EVs.
Since the platforms are the same, the specs are pretty close, too. Electric motors on each axle confer both all-wheel drive and a healthy output of 302 horsepower. It'll get up to 112 mph, which is probably more than most people need.
Its battery provides an all-electric range of approximately 311 miles by Euro NEDC standards -- in the US, that number would be a bit lower. It can charge pretty quickly, as well, thanks to its ability to plug into a 150-kW DC charger. 80 percent of the battery's charge should arrive in about 30 minutes.
The look isn't that dissimilar from the original ID, although it's taller, because it's a crossover. Thanks to the relative simplicity of an electric drivetrain, the ID Crozz is smaller and lower than a Tiguan, but it packs more interior volume. That packaging also helps the ID Crozz achieve a weight balance near 50/50, which means it should handle pretty well, too.
As with VW's other EV concepts, it's got a whole bunch of LEDs. The badge lights up, the LED headlights can use color to communicate to other drivers, and a new "light blind" in the panoramic glass roof can illuminate both the interior and the exterior.
Inside, that compact powertrain packaging means plenty of space for... well, sitting. Everyone has legroom, and that space is increased with uncomplicated interior panels. The infotainment lives on a single screen near the wheel. And, like just about every other car that's supposed to exist in the future, it's capable of autonomous driving.
Volkswagen claims the ID Crozz will enter production in 2020, which is the same year it hopes to launch the regular ID, which is more like a Golf than a Tiguan. Either way, crossovers are hot, and Volkswagen has the necessary platform to build one, so why not give 'er a go?
It's very sensibly proportioned. It barely looks like a crossover, save for the ride height.
Solar Installer Guides
Other Energy Saving Guides
Our Experts