Volkswagen I.D. Concept Is Fully Electric And Totally Autonomous

Full details and a host of images of Volkswagen’s I.D. Electric Concept have been released following the vehicle’s world premiere at the Paris Auto Show.

The I.D. is the brand’s first in a fleet of innovative electric vehicles based around its Modular Electric Drive (MEB) architecture. Additionally, the concept previews a unique styling language which will be present in the automaker’s future range of electric cars and is due to go on sale in 2020.

Driving the I.D. is an electric motor delivering 168 hp and while VW hasn’t revealed the size of the model’s battery pack, it claims the concept can accelerate from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than 8 seconds and onto a top speed of 99 mph (159 km/h). According to the automaker, under European test conditions the concept has a range of between 400 to 600 km (249 to 373 miles).

It also states that production versions of the I.D. may be configurable with more or less powerful electric motors as well as well as battery packs with differing capacities, all depending on what the customer needs.

As the concept car’s battery is local low and in the center of vehicle, it has a weight distribution of 48:52 per cent front to rear and is said to provide neutral handling. The battery can be charged via a cable or thanks to an inductive charging station and in just 30 minutes, the battery pack can be charged to 80 per cent of its capacity.

Alongside its advanced electric powertrain, the I.D. is the very first Volkswagen capable of fully automated driving. To enable the self-driving mode, all a driver has to do is press the Volkswagen logo on the steering wheel for three seconds and the car will take control and the steering wheel will retreat into the dashboard.

Guiding the concept are four roof-mounted laser scanners as well as side area view cameras, a front camera, ultrasonic sensors and radar sensors. Beyond driving itself, the advanced concept can find a parking space without any assistance from the driver. To disable the autonomous driving, all the operator has to do is press the brake or accelerator pedals. Volkswagen says the autonomous features will be available from 2025.

Elsewhere, the I.D. adopts a plethora of unique technologies. For example, it has an advanced head-up display which projects virtual images on the windscreen which appear to be up to 49 feet ahead of the car. When the satellite navigation system is enabled this means that virtual arrows will be projected to show where the car will turn off.

The concept car also includes a large 10-inch display which utilizies three transparent layers to display all manner of information, from navigation, to digital content and through to important driving data like the car’s speed and range.