Volkswagen has unveiled an off-road concept based on the ID.4 GTX to gauge customer and public interest in a range of all-electric ID models boasting “a new performance level.”
Though the ID. Xtreme features a striking new livery, bodywork tweaks are limited to bull bars at the front, 18-inch wheels clad with new chunky tires, a roof-mounted LED light, and 3D-printed wings 50mm wider than before. A new aluminum undertray also completely seals the underside, protecting the electric drivetrain from the elements.
Volkswagen ID. Xtreme
On that note, the 285 kW power output is an upgrade – 30 per cent, to be precise – on the 225 kW offered as standard on the ID.4 GTX (the EV-dedicated, all-wheel Modular Electric drive Matrix / MEB platform thus remains the same). This makes the Xtreme the most powerful ID model yet.
In an interesting move, and in an effort to reduce the concept’s carbon footprint, the ID. Xtreme is essentially a repurposed ID. 4 GTX test model, and thus uses a second-hand 82 kWh battery. This, plus the increased power, means providing an accurate electric range is difficult.
Volkswagen ID. Xtreme
In a neat touch, VW has also included what it calls “a sound generator” in each of the wheel housings to give the Xtreme a bigger acoustic presence. As well as ramping up the concept’s more ‘dynamic’ off-road nature, it’s a system that could potentially have real-world applications too as a means of pedestrian safety around otherwise-silent EVs on the road.
The ID. Xtreme made its official debut in Locarno, Switzerland, at ID Treffen, an ID range fan show supported by Volkswagen. While primarily a design concept, VW has admitted – sort of – that the Xtreme could be a litmus test for potential off-road ID models down the line.
Volkswagen ID. Xtreme
“For many of our customers, vehicles are much more than just a means of transport. With the ID. Xtreme, we are raising electric mobility from VW to a new performance level,” explains Silke Bagschik, head of the MEB product line. “The ID. Xtreme is made by enthusiasts at Volkswagen for ID. enthusiasts in Locarno.
“We are really eager to find out how the fans of electromobility react to the vehicle. Based on the feedback from our community, we will decide how to proceed with the project.”
