Volkswagen is developing an entirely new range of avant-garde electric vehicles. Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management, Volkswagen Brand: “By 2025, we want to boost annual sales of electric vehicles to one million units. The new I.D. CROZZ concept, showcased at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show, will play a key role in that. Production will begin in 2020.” The four-door car is the brand’s first electrically powered crossover utility vehicle (CUV) – a coupé and sport utility vehicle (SUV) in one.
The I.D. CROZZ gets a zero- emission, electric drive-train with all-wheel-drive. The I.D. CROZZ delivers power of 225 kW, has a top speed of 180 km/h and can cover up to 500 kilometres on one charge. The battery can be charged to 80% of its energy capacity in 30 minutes using a fast-charging system (at 150 kW DC power). The concept car switches over to the fully autonomous ‘I.D. Pilot’ mode when the driver touches the VW badge on the steering wheel for three seconds – and then the I.D. CROZZ drives with autopilot.
All of the concept vehicle’s instruments and controls have been implemented fully digitally. The most important information is projected into the driver’s visual field by augmented reality. A new light shade in the transparent panoramic sunroof is even activated by gesture control; the shade, according to VW, offers a new form of interior and exterior ambient lighting. Meanwhile, a new CleanAir system claims to provide good air quality in the vehicle – in all outdoor conditions.
One dominant visual characteristic of the I.D. CROZZ is its light signature that will eventually become the face of Volkswagen electric mobility. The light elements – C-shaped LED daytime running lights and variably controllable LED headlights – merge to form a front end with electronic moving ‘eyes’ (‘Interactive Spotlight’). In ‘I.D. Pilot’ mode, these ‘eyes’ communicate with other road users.
The I.D. CROZZ is more compact than Volkswagen’s latest production SUV, the New Tiguan L (China) which is also produced as the Tiguan Allspace (Europe). And yet the CUV provides just as much space, says VW. This is because the I.D. CROZZ is based on the next-generation architecture for Volkswagen electric vehicles. The suspension and drive-train modules are positioned far to the outsides of the vehicle and exhibit very compact construction.
The battery is even fully integrated in the vehicle floor. Inside, the seat configuration creates space that can be put to optimal use. The rear can accommodate a bike without having to mount a cycle rack. The bike can be simply slid crosswise into the rear seating area. The fold-up rear seats and doors that (electrically) open very wide make this possible.
