VW I.D. Crozz updated in Frankfurt - part of EV thrust

VW I.D. Crozz updated in Frankfurt – part of EV thrust

It’s home turf for Wolfsburg-based automaker Volkswagen at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which is where the company has unveiled the latest iteration of the I.D. Crozz concept, adorned in a new Hibiscus Red Metallic hue. Refined for its latest showing in Germany, the I.D. Crozz is a fully-electric, four-door coupe SUV with a total output of 225 kW (305 hp), sent to all four wheels.

Here, the I.D. Crozz concept wears a redesigned body which appears closer to production compared to the earlier Shanghai concept, now with headlamps slightly redesigned over the earlier car’s. The exterior is otherwise largely similar to the earlier concept’s, replete with body-coloured blade on the lower part of the front bumper. Additionally, the I.D. Crozz wears slightly redesigned headlamps over the Shanghai concept, though it is largely similar.

In its latest iteration, the I.D Crozz offers more space with an ‘Open Space’ concept which is more capacious and has a ‘versatile seating concept’. As before, B-pillars were omitted, and in place of conventional swinging rear doors, the rear items are sliding ones; together with the conventionally-opening front doors, they provide a wide enough aperture to accommodate a bicycle with no trouble, says Volkswagen.

Improved habitability comes courtesy of a newly-developed CleanAir system, which ensures a supply of clean air to the interior. Information is provided on the quality of air within the car and on the system’s current activity, says Volkswagen. The driver can let the vehicle take over the reins in I.D. Pilot autonomous driving mode, which can be activated or deactivated by voice commands.

The electric 4Motion all-wheel drive system consists of one motor each at the front and rear axles, with torque distribution controlled via what Volkswagen calls an ‘electric propshaft’. Top speed is a claimed 180 km/h, while overall range on a full charge goes up to 500 km on the NEDC cycle.

By locating the battery in the centre of the I.D. Crozz with a motor at each driven axle, the company says attains “an ideal weight distribution” which gives the EV crossover concept handling characteristics on par with that of a Golf GTI. Suspension is comprised of MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link suspension design at the back.

The I.D Crozz and its ilk will pave the way for Volkswagen’s upcoming range of fully electric models, the first of which is slated to arrive on the market in 2020 in the form of a four-door model in the Golf segment, while the production version of the I.D. Buzz is set to arrive in 2022.