Volkswagen Project Trinity: Tesla competitor ID 4 expected in 2026 Car News

The basis of the upcoming ID 4 sedan is Volkswagen’s new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), a skateboard-style architecture that Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess says will replace the existing Modularer E-Antriebs- Baukasten (MEB) as well as the J1 and Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architectures developed by the Audi and Porsche brands owned by Volkswagen.

“The next generation of our hardware platforms will allow us to reduce complexity over time as we consolidate our existing platform into a single architecture for the entire electronics product portfolio, from entry-level to high-end, 85 kW [114bhp] at 850kW [1140bhp],” he said.

While the MEB platform used by all of Volkswagen’s existing ID badge models uses a 400V electrical architecture, the SSP will be able to support systems up to 800V. This will allow the ID 4 sedan to be offered with a much higher charging capacity than the 135 kW of the recently upgraded ID 4 SUV, and with it significantly faster charging times than those achieved today, provided a DC charging system high power is used.

Nothing is official, although insiders are talking about a reduction in charging time by a “factor of three”. For reference, the new ID 5 SUV is claimed to offer a 5-80% charge (enough for 242 claimed miles) in 29 minutes.

Details of the battery technology that will be adopted by the ID 4 sedan have yet to be revealed. Sources suggest it will use cobalt-free chemistry similar to the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) blade battery produced by Chinese automaker BYD. As with the existing ID models, the new Volkswagen should be offered with batteries offering different energy capacities and autonomy.

It’s still early days, but Volkswagen says the most advanced ID model yet will offer a range of up to 435 miles on the European WLTP test cycle, an increase of more than 20% over its existing electric models. . It also states that the ID 4 sedan will be able to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in less than five seconds.

The ID 4 sedan takes full advantage of the SSP platform’s ability to completely pack its battery into a flat floor, with proportions in the front of the cabin aimed at providing generous interior space.