Volkswagen ID.4 lands in Sydney

The first examples of the 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 have arrived in Australia to undergo local testing and provide prospective customers with an early opportunity to test-drive the German brand’s long-awaited first electric car.

The revelation came at this week’s media launch of the new 2022 Volkswagen T-Roc R, where head of public relations Paul Pottinger confirmed that two Volkswagen ID.4 electric mid-size SUVs had touched down at the German car-maker’s Australian head office in Zetland, Sydney.

Pottinger said that as well as being made available to prospective customers, the ID.4 EVs would be used for dealer service technician training.

He also reiterated that production of Australian customer cars was not slated until late 2023 ahead of first deliveries in 2024, but added there was a chance both the ID.4 and its sportier coupe-style Volkswagen ID.5 sibling could hit the road next year.

“Plan is to have it [ID.4] on road before the end of next year,” he said.

“We’re at work on bringing ID.4 and ID.5 forward so that it can be in showrooms before the end of ’23.”

Pottinger also revealed that local pricing and specification details would be confirmed by the end of this year – perfect timing given the forthcoming pre-launch customer test-drives and surrounding marketing events.

Securing the ID.4 for the Australian market has been a slow burn for Volkswagen, with overseas markets given priority over the first two years of the EV’s lifecycle.

By the time it gets here, the ID.4 will be at mid-life update stage, so the Australian market should be in line to receive the latest upgrades.

The ID.4 was named World Car of the Year in 2021 and is motivated by either a single- or dual-motor powertrain, depending on the model.

However, all variants currently draw energy from a 77kWh battery.

Single-motor versions will be able to cover up to 520km on a single charge, and while that figure is reduced to 480km in the GTI-equivalent ID.4 GTX, it offsets its deficit with a 6.2-second 0-100km/h time.

It remains to be seen if the GTX variants – the ID.5 also comes in GTX guise – will launch at the same time as the first wave of ID.4 and ID.5 models.

The Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback is scheduled to launch in Australia in 2024.

There are no other firm dates for launching other Volkswagen ID models, including the Kombi-style ID. Buzz that carsales drove earlier this year and the ID.6 family SUV we tested in China late last year.

We also reviewed the ID.4 in 2021, and the ID.3 way back in 2020.

- with Callum Hunter

For everything you auto know about EVs, listen to carsales' Watts Under the Bonnet: the electric car podcast

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au