Review: Volkswagen's ID.4 EV Features Wireless CarPlay and a Gorgeous Infotainment System

[macsound1]

I’m an owner of a 2021 VE ID.4 Pro S. Today marks 1 week of it in my possession.
I find no issues with the infotainment system. CarPlay works seamlessly for me. I find Tesla’s hideous. But that’s my opinion. Their screen shows a lot of info, but I don’t need all of that. The ID.4 fits my needs. I don’t experience any real lag on CarPlay or the infotainment system generally. Every now & then it takes like 5 seconds to connect, but that’s it so far (knocks on wood).
Just as there are iPhone vs. Android debates, a lot of this is Tesla vs. VW.

I mean, I've heard of lots of Tesla infotainment that requires reboot while driving or stop and restart the vehicle.

 

[SuperMatt]

1. US electric car sales are only up because of model Y sales. This means normal people still aren't buying electric cars, just the rich re-upping their Tesla leases, buying a second for their significant other, and the occasional others probably buying a second car that's electric. Europe and China have EV surges, but I know nothing about their driving styles vs the US's. EV sales in USA (+4 % y/y) outperformed the auto-market (-15 % y/y) mostly from the introduction of the Model-Y. ev-volumes.com

2. If we're waiting for electric chargers to be added to apartment buildings and office parking structures, we're going to be waiting a long long long time. They may be added to AAA structures in big metro areas but what's the expense of adding a charger to every single parking place in every single apartment building?
Some apartments in my area don't even include an assigned parking spot, you have to pay an extra $100 a month. Also most apartments in my area were built in the 60s and 70s with natural gas heat, dryers, and stoves, so a 2 bedroom apartment may only get a 60A service. I can't imagine the upgrade cost from the utility to increase the street transformer to double the apartment building's mains service.
And office parking? If they're going to put super chargers in lots packed so full they're valet only, maybe they could just build another story to the garage so it doesn't fill up by 8:30am.

What I'm getting at is if electric cars are truly supposed to be the future, it will have to be much more accessible to the consumer. If someone scrapes by every 10 years to buy a used car that's under $15k that will last them another 10 years with little to no maintenance, how could they possibly afford to also choose an apartment or office that happens to include charging.

The solution to gasoline needs to be as easy as gasoline. Easy to travel, easy to commute, easy to park, easy for old people, easy for old houses, easy for rural areas, easy for dense metros.

I live in california and PG&E can't even keep the power on. Maybe tesla can afford to build out their electric network using stockholder's funds but if every house on every street doubled their electric need, we're all screwed.

Let’s clear up a few misconceptions here. First, the chart of EV sales provided was from 2015-2020. Tesla’s model Y only started selling in 2020 and only sold 10,000 units that year. EVs are still a small fraction of overall car sales, but they are, in fact, surging as shown by the data I provided.

2024 Tesla Model Y Sales Figures

Tesla Model Y monthly, quarterly, and yearly sales and statistics in the United States. Including data and interactive charts for the latest model year 2024.

carfigures.com

Second, focusing on apartment buildings when it comes to EV charging misses the majority of people. 65% of urban-area dwellers and 78% of rural dwellers live in single-family homes. This means most Americans could charge at home if they want an EV. In addition, many urban dwellers living in apartments don’t even have a car.

Finally, adding EVs would not double electric usage. The average miles driven by Americans per day is 29. EVs average between 4-5 miles per Kwh, so daily charging per car would average 6-7 Kwh. Average household electricity usage per day is 30 Kwh. So about a 20% increase, and most cars are charged overnight when the grid is used less. So widespread adoption of EVs would not overtax the grid. Also, considering how often people replace their cars, even if every car was an EV starting tomorrow, it would take at least 10 years to get over 50% EVs in America... plenty of time to slowly increase grid capacity if needed.

I’m a “normal person” and I have been driving an EV since 2016 without issue. An EV is fine for this particular normal person. People fear change, but this is not a change one should fear. 5 years of not having to buy gas has been great. Electric charging is much cheaper than gas, especially in many areas with electric utilities that offer discounts for EV charging overnight.

 

[macsound1]

I think that's a great point. The people I'm focusing on are people like me. People who live in a fairly expensive area who commute an inordinate amount of time to work. Me and about 3.5 million people who live in the SF bay area.

Of course we don't all live in apartments but to think that the utility company could improve the grid AND the apartments would install chargers in the next 10 years is really a stretch. We still pay rent with paper checks...

Also, thinking about people like me who don't live alone but only have 1 assigned parking spot. Where does the other person charge while parked on the street. All of my coworkers who live in SF proper also park on the street at their house or apartment AND when they're at work. They don't even have a garage or carport.

And sure, I could use a "supercharger" before or after work but who wants to get home after a 2 hour commute and have to sit at the mall to recharge. Even if its once a week, what a hassle. When I was commuting with traffic, I could fill up while my carpool grabbed the mobile ordered coffee. Out in under 3 minutes.

I think it is those who aren't in a prime situation that need to be addressed. If you have a short commute, a home with a garage and solar panels, you're set. Everyone else, well...

 

[SuperMatt]

I think that's a great point. The people I'm focusing on are people like me. People who live in a fairly expensive area who commute an inordinate amount of time to work. Me and about 3.5 million people who live in the SF bay area.

Of course we don't all live in apartments but to think that the utility company could improve the grid AND the apartments would install chargers in the next 10 years is really a stretch. We still pay rent with paper checks...

Also, thinking about people like me who don't live alone but only have 1 assigned parking spot. Where does the other person charge while parked on the street. All of my coworkers who live in SF proper also park on the street at their house or apartment AND when they're at work. They don't even have a garage or carport.

And sure, I could use a "supercharger" before or after work but who wants to get home after a 2 hour commute and have to sit at the mall to recharge. Even if its once a week, what a hassle. When I was commuting with traffic, I could fill up while my carpool grabbed the mobile ordered coffee. Out in under 3 minutes.

I think it is those who aren't in a prime situation that need to be addressed. If you have a short commute, a home with a garage and solar panels, you're set. Everyone else, well...

EVs don’t require a “prime“ situation, nor solar panels. I pointed out the stats about most Americans’ living situations. 2/3rds of urban dwellers already are in single-family homes, and 78% of rural dwellers are. That means over 2/3rds of Americans are already set for EV usage without having to do much of anything.

As for apartments, condos, and workplaces offering charging, that will be governed by supply and demand. If EVs become more popular, apartments that offer charging in their parking garage will get more business. Condo boards will hear from their owners that they need/want charging as an option. Workplaces will offer charging as that one more thing that might make you want to work there over another company.

Nobody is forcing anybody to buy anything. But EVs are definitely feasible for most Americans today, and if they become more popular, chargers will undoubtedly be placed in areas that currently lack them. Note, I said most Americans, not all. I can understand one wouldn’t work for everybody’s current living/work situation.

PS - People still pay rent with paper checks!?!?

 

[sflagel]

I mean, I've heard of lots of Tesla infotainment that requires reboot while driving or stop and restart the vehicle.

I borrowed a Model X over a weekend and had to reboot the software twice: once after stopping at a convenience store (the car would not move at all), and a day later while driving 70 mph on the motorway. I did not buy the car. I am sure this was unusual, or growing pains, so let’s give VW a break. We should be happy that there are now multiple viable EV out there.

 

[Zdigital2015]

EVs don’t require a “prime“ situation, nor solar panels. I pointed out the stats about most Americans’ living situations. 2/3rds of urban dwellers already are in single-family homes, and 78% of rural dwellers are. That means over 2/3rds of Americans are already set for EV usage without having to do much of anything.

As for apartments, condos, and workplaces offering charging, that will be governed by supply and demand. If EVs become more popular, apartments that offer charging in their parking garage will get more business. Condo boards will hear from their owners that they need/want charging as an option. Workplaces will offer charging as that one more thing that might make you want to work there over another company.

Nobody is forcing anybody to buy anything. But EVs are definitely feasible for most Americans today, and if they become more popular, chargers will undoubtedly be placed in areas that currently lack them. Note, I said most Americans, not all. I can understand one wouldn’t work for everybody’s current living/work situation.

PS - People still pay rent with paper checks!?!?

Yes, you would be surprised that apartment complex’s will take a paper check but have no way to pay your rent online. In the year 2021…🤣

 

[ds2000]

G

The earlier innitial versions had problems. My car has version 1666 I think which is the latest firmware or one of the later versions and I haven't had any issues at all.

Good to hear the issues have been sorted out. As I said to someone else in my following post, I'd have bought an ID4/Polstar2/Mustang over the Model 3 had they been available. The Tesla is great but I think the other models offer more for the $$ when compared.

 

[ds2000]

I mean, I've heard of lots of Tesla infotainment that requires reboot while driving or stop and restart the vehicle.

25,000km and 18 months into my Model 3 ownership, I think 3 times its needed a reboot. (I'm the opposite of a Tesla fanboy too, I only took the model 3 as it was available in NL before EV taxes were hiked)

 

[BrentT]

That's a deal breaker for me. 99.44% of the time, I'm not messing with the A/C while driving. But that .66% of the time (sudden T-Storm, need to turn on the defrost), I don't wanna take my eyes off the road to dig through the menu.

I want my car to have dedicated buttons for climate control.

The ID.4 has voice controls available for the climate. It works pretty well from what I have seen. I still agree that that knobs and buttons should be included.

 

[BrentT]

I can attest to some of that being true. We have a 2020 Tiguan and while I didn't come across any particular issues or bugs with the CarNet app, it is for the most part useless. It allows for very little functionality outside of very basic things like locking/unlocking doors and honking horn/activating panic alarm.

I did not sign up for CarNet after the free trial. I found the features it had were not worth the money. I also had issues with lock/unlock due to delays in reporting back the status. Locking and emergency calling were the only features I could not duplicate on my phone.

 

[macsound1]

I did not sign up for CarNet after the free trial. I found the features it had were not worth the money. I also had issues with lock/unlock due to delays in reporting back the status. Locking and emergency calling were the only features I could not duplicate on my phone.

Neither did I. Never used any of the features.