Car and driver recently got hold of the brand new Volkswagen ID.4 1st edition and put it on the highway through the real world test of 75 km / h. They compared the results with those of the competitor Tesla Model Y, but the tests were done in different temperatures.
The 2021 ID.4 they tested covered 190 miles in that test. The EPA’s estimate is 250 kilometers for combined city and highway driving. It’s about 25 percent less, not too bad, since it’s just a highway test. The testers of the publication also measured 82 MPGe on the highway, slightly less than the EPA’s 89 MPGe highway estimate.
The ID.4 they used is the rear-wheel drive model with 201 horsepower, as it is currently the only one available in the US. It has an 82 kWh battery pack (77 kWh usable). A four-wheel-drive version of the ID.4 with about 300 hp is later released in production in the United States.
The Tesla Model Y Long Distance Car and driver tested did 220 miles in the same test and achieved an average of 94 MPGe. It has AWD and an 80.5 kWh battery pack. However, this is not much profit for Tesla, as the EPA lane is 326 combined driving and 117 MPGe on the highway. This would call into question the EPA’s Model Y estimate. It is also important to know that the ID.4 was tested on a 40-degree day and the Model Y on a 75-degree day. Car and Driver state that they expect ID.4 to perform better in warmer weather.
More information about the 75 km / h highway test:
‘We perform all our tests with a GPS-verified 75 km / h on the same 200-mile back-and-forth loop on Michigan’s I-94 freeway. Our consistent procedure includes a methodical filling process, according to a specific route, using cruise control and setting the climate control at the same temperature (72 degrees automatically). We also correct for faulty odometer and do not test in heavy wind or rain or with extra passengers. If we experience too much traffic or unusual conditions, we stop running and try again later. ‘
“We follow the same procedure for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, except for this, we have additional steps that include making sure that the battery is fully charged before you need the kilowatt hour (kWh) to fill the battery after the start of the drive loop. “