It’s been widely reported that the Volkswagen ID Crozz, the company’s first purpose-built EV sold in the US, will be an all-wheel-drive electric crossover. The specs, based on the concept version unveiled in China in 2017, are 302 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, Autocar reported today that a GTX version of the ID Crozz will be a special, high-performance all-wheel-drive version. So maybe everybody has been guessing about all these specs.
The confirmation of a GTX all-wheel-drive version calls into question our previous understanding of the ID Crozz’s numbers. Electrek reached out to VW for details. No word yet, but we might not get a crystal-clear picture until the production version of the ID Crozz is unveiled in April at the 2020 New York Auto Show.
Nonetheless, it’s safe to say that there will be both GTX high-performance and standard versions. And the common crossover body design of the ID Crozz, also known as ID4, will be joined by a coupe version, dubbed the ID5. These choices have become par for the course.
The X in the GTX nomenclature, according to Autocar, refers to all-wheel-drive. This suggests that the performance-oriented model will use two motors, one on each axle. However, what’s not clear is if ID Crozz units that lack the GTX badge will have a two-motor, all-wheel-drive layout, as commonly reported. Or if the GTX version’s performance will be even better than 300 horsepower in the concept.
The only battery size discussed so far is a relatively compact 83-kilowatt-hour pack. Given range from vehicles with a similar pack, a high-performance version of the ID Crozz with that battery might get around 200 miles in range. Or less?
In November, Scott Keogh, CEO of VW of America, said that the ID Crozz will sell in the low- to mid-$30,000 range after a $7,500 federal tax credit. That suggests a pre-incentive sticker price of around $40,000 for the brand’s first high-volume, ground-up EV sold in the US. You can assume that’s a starting price. A GTX variant would be more expensive.
The ID Crozz goes on sale in late 2020. Volkswagen is expected to sell about 50,000 to 75,000 units per year in the first two years.
Electrek’s Take
The electric crossover market is going to get crowded soon. Volkswagen must be fully aware of that, just as it is undoubtedly comparing the ID Crozz’s price and specs against competition like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
In these months of anticipation, we can expect a lot of speculation. A few horsepower here and there might not matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. Range is more important. But there is also apparently some jockeying for position for power specs and all-wheel-drive capabilities that make one model stand out from another. VW has a lot riding on its first, ground-up EV in the US.
Only time will tell. The winner is the EV shopper, who will soon have more vehicle choice than ever – most notably in the ultra-popular and busy crossover market.
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