Volkswagen ID.4 GTX unveiled with dual-motors and standard AWD

German automaker Volkswagen presented its newest ID.4 GTX at a digital world premiere at Berlin Tempelhof Airport. The VW ID.4 GTX is the brand's first high-performance EV with dual electric motors and a standard electric all-wheel drivetrain.

"We are adding a new dimension of sportiness and dynamics with the ID.4 GTX," said Ralf Brandstätter, CEO of the Volkswagen Brand. "The most emotional member of the ID. Family to date shows that electric mobility and top sporty performance are not mutually exclusive."

Volkswagen has utilized the GTX branding in faster and sportier versions of the Jetta, Scirocco, and Golf. And now, it's the ID.4's turn to carry the torch. It starts with two electric motors, one for each axle. With a combined output of 299 horsepower, the newest VW ID.4 GTX can rush from zero to 60 mph in 6.2-seconds, a reasonable time for a practical, affordable, five-passenger crossover. The top speed is 112 mph.

Granted, the ID.4 GTX is not as quick as a base dual-motor Tesla Model Y. The Tesla can smash 60 mph in 4.8-seconds and has a 135 mph top speed. Meanwhile, the ID.4 can silently rocket from zero to 37 mph in 3.2-seconds, giving you enough oomph to outrun gasoline-powered crossovers.

"The full torque of the electric powertrain is immediately available, and you can feel the excellent vehicle handling in every bend," said Thomas Ulbrich, member of the Board of Management for Development.

The Volkswagen ID.4 GTX is primarily rear-wheel-drive in the default setting. However, onboard sensors will automatically engage AWD when more traction is required. It will also engage the rear motor during hard acceleration. VW claims the transition from front to all-wheel-drive is as smooth and seamless as silk.

The latest VW ID.4 GTX is riding on new 20-inch wheels (21-inch rollers are optional) and larger 358-mm front brakes. It also gets standard rear drum brakes (boo!), but it's not a big deal considering other premium EVS have the same drum brakes in the rear axle – we're looking at you, Audi Q4 e-tron.

The electric motors draw power from a 77.0-kWh battery pack, the same type you'll find in a standard ID.4. But in the GTX, the driving range falls to 298 miles in the WLTP cycle, whereas a regular ID.4 achieves up to 323 miles using the same European testing cycle. In America, Volkswagen estimates a driving range of 250 miles (EPA cycle) for a regular ID.4, so we're expecting the GTX version to deliver around 200 to 220 miles of range, give or take.

Style-wise, the Volkswagen ID.4 GTX is no different from a standard ID.4, but it does have special exterior bits like painted lower body claddings, gloss black roof rails, GTX badging on the fenders and tailgate, and bespoke LED headlights and taillights.

It's the same story inside the cabin, but the GTX gets more red trim, a new instrument cluster, and GTX branding. Volkswagen has yet to confirm if the ID.4 GTX will make it stateside, but the brand did promise us an AWD version of the ID.4.

European deliveries for the VW ID.4 GTX begin this summer, with base prices starting at around €50,415 or roughly $61,000 and change. In Germany, the ID.4 GTX is eligible for a subsidy of up to $7,500.