Volkswagen I.D. Crozz Concept Shows The Way For Electric Crossovers

Volkswagen has just unveiled its third all-electric concept since last year’s Paris Auto Show, unveiling the I.D. Crozz at the ongoing Shanghai Auto Show.

Following on from the I.D. hatchback and I.D. Buzz microbus, the I.D. Crozz is based around the same modular platform and should hit the market sometime after 2020, joining the marque’s planned fleet of electric-only models.

Power for the I.D. Crozz comes from a pair of electric motors, one of which powers the front axle and one which sends power to the rear. The front motor puts out 101 hp while the second at the rear provides an additional 201 hp, resulting in a total of 302 hp. Working in conjunction with an 83 kWh battery, the electric crossover will accelerate from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in under 6 seconds and achieve a range of up to 311 miles (500 km).

One particularly impressive statistic about the concept’s battery is that it can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in just 30 minutes when using a 150 kW DC electrical charging system. As with the I.D. Buzz and I.D. hatchback, the battery is mounted in the floor to lower the vehicle’s center of gravity. There are also two transmissions in use and an electric propshaft which can transfer power between the axles depending on which has the most traction.

As with the previous I.D. concepts, the I.D. Crozz isn’t just special for the company because of its electric powertrain; it is also fully-autonomous. To allow it to drive itself, Volkswagen has outfitted the concept with four laser scanners that pop out of the Crozz’s glass roof the moment the driver switches to autonomous driving.

Commenting about the concept, VW chairman Herbert Diess said “If it was ever possible to make a one hundred per cent certain prediction of what the future will look like, it is achieved here. We are showing with the I.D. Crozz how Volkswagen will be transforming the roadscape from 2020.”