Volkswagen passenger vehicles director Michal Szaniecki has completed a more than 2000km tour of the east coast in a new ID.4 electric SUV, visiting six dealerships along the route.
The tour was instigated primarily to introduce the dealerships to the ID.4 which is one of four Volkswagen electric SUVs to commence production in March for Australian release in July.
Setting out from Volkswagen Group Australia headquarters in Sydney, Szaniecki charted a northerly course, stopping by Klosters at Newcastle, John Oxley Volkswagen Port Macquarie, Geoff King Motors of Coffs Harbour, Cricks at Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton Volkswagen and Mackay City Volkswagen.
He concluded with a break at Airlie Beach.
Szaniecki says the trip provided first hand insight into the reality of driving a Battery Electric Vehicle a distance that European private owners would seldom undertake.
“I never imagined feeling so relaxed after 14 hour driving,” Szaniecki says.
“The facts and figures about our ID range are known, but none of those convey how it makes you feel. The comfort, the relative silence … If you need to re-charge yourself you can do it while the vehicle re-charges,” he says.
He says the ID.4 is aimed squarely at families, being roughly comparable to the Tiguan SUV in exterior dimensions, but more akin to the larger Touareg within due to the space saving underfloor battery.
“Parents, you won’t have to raise your voice to be heard by those in back,” Szaniecki says. “Even Australia’s steady open road speed limit – low by Germany’s standards – is conducive to extending range.
“The ID.4’s quietness, comfort and spaciousness give you a much better beginning and end to your holiday,” he says.
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