Photo: Volkswagen
Out of 90 cars and trucks entered in the NORRA Mexican 1000, only 64 vehicles finished the off-road race. With the help of racing driver and brand ambassador Tanner Foust, a modified ID.4 electric crossover had no problems driving 840 miles (1,352 kilometers) over very rough terrain.
The German automaker entered this event with the sole purpose of demonstrating the capabilities of the MEB vehicle architecture, which underpins the only EV that Volkswagen sells in the United States nowadays. But like any other EV, the ID.4 is limited by the range of its battery pack.
Foust’s car is a rear-wheel-drive 1st Edition that can travel up to 250 miles (402 kilometers) in one go according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There are no charging points in the Baja peninsula where the NORRA Mexican 1000 was held, and this brings us to how Volkswagen kept the ID.4 going for so long. Between stages, which measure anything between 33 to 167 miles (53 and 269 kilometers), the Rhys Millen Racing-modified ID.4 was charged by a portable biofuel generator connected to a 50-kW flat charger.
In a few instances where the charger wasn’t available, the Volkswagen-backed team flat-towed the ID.4 behind a chase vehicle, using the regenerative braking to add range. As you’re well aware, charging is what hampered down the car’s potential to finish higher than 61st place.
The most important takeaway is that Tanner finished the race with no mechanical issues after five grueling days in the desert. He and co-driver Emme Hall also had to be dragged out of some sand on the first day, but otherwise, the ID.4 never skipped a beat despite the bone-stock powertrain.
What did Volkswagen modify, you ask? Typical of an off-road event, the suspension had to be reworked with rally-style coilovers and tubular control arms. The radiator was also raised a few inches to improve approach angles, and 3/8-inch skid plates were added to the undercarriage for good measure.
If you’re in the market for a 201-horsepower and 82-kWh electric crossover, Volkswagen is much obliged to sell you an ID.4 as long as it’s not the 1st Edition. Pro is the name of the most affordable trim level with similar specifications, and $39,995 excluding the $7,500 federal tax credit makes it a pretty neat alternative to the likes of the ever-popular Tesla Model Y.
Foust’s car is a rear-wheel-drive 1st Edition that can travel up to 250 miles (402 kilometers) in one go according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There are no charging points in the Baja peninsula where the NORRA Mexican 1000 was held, and this brings us to how Volkswagen kept the ID.4 going for so long. Between stages, which measure anything between 33 to 167 miles (53 and 269 kilometers), the Rhys Millen Racing-modified ID.4 was charged by a portable biofuel generator connected to a 50-kW flat charger.
In a few instances where the charger wasn’t available, the Volkswagen-backed team flat-towed the ID.4 behind a chase vehicle, using the regenerative braking to add range. As you’re well aware, charging is what hampered down the car’s potential to finish higher than 61st place.
The most important takeaway is that Tanner finished the race with no mechanical issues after five grueling days in the desert. He and co-driver Emme Hall also had to be dragged out of some sand on the first day, but otherwise, the ID.4 never skipped a beat despite the bone-stock powertrain.
What did Volkswagen modify, you ask? Typical of an off-road event, the suspension had to be reworked with rally-style coilovers and tubular control arms. The radiator was also raised a few inches to improve approach angles, and 3/8-inch skid plates were added to the undercarriage for good measure.
If you’re in the market for a 201-horsepower and 82-kWh electric crossover, Volkswagen is much obliged to sell you an ID.4 as long as it’s not the 1st Edition. Pro is the name of the most affordable trim level with similar specifications, and $39,995 excluding the $7,500 federal tax credit makes it a pretty neat alternative to the likes of the ever-popular Tesla Model Y.
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