In most ways, the Volkswagen ID.4 represents a great value, especially for 2023 and later models. Compared to the original 2021 ID.4, the DC fast charging rate is much higher, and it’s now offered with an 82 kWh battery pack that offers greater range. But, as similar as the vehicles are, many people might be wondering why the more expensive Audi Q4 didn’t get the upgrades.
At the heart of these upgrades is a new battery, and it’s the same one the upgraded ID.4 got. With 82 kWh of gross energy and 77 kWh of usable storage , and upgraded battery cells from SK, peak charging power is now up to 170 kW, a noticeable improvement over the 150 kW peak charging the older Q4 50 could do. This puts the charging speeds on par with the ID.4, which can generally go from 10-80% in a little under 30 minutes.
These features alone will make for faster road trips, as you can charge faster and go longer between charges. But they couldn’t very well let the Audi Q4 fall behind the ID.4, so the company had to do something to make it stand out. This came in the form of an updated permanently-excited synchronous rear motor, which should give it not only more power, but better range. Maximum power is now up to 335 HP, which is 40 HP more than previous model years.