Electric car driving report: on a road trip through California with the VW ID.4
A trip through the west of the USA is a dream vacation, rental cars are increasingly offered there as electric cars. How does that work with a VW ID.4?
Stefan Grundhoff
- Stefan Grundhoff
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Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Palm Springs, Las Vegas and maybe a side trip to Lake Tahoe or the Bay Area with the metropolis of San Francisco - many people get carried away when planning their vacation. On such a tour, there's no getting around a rental car, and they're usually much cheaper in the U.S. than in Europe. More and more companies are offering electric cars, making tourists wonder whether they want to go on a road trip like this.
At the inventor of the exhaust regulations
If one region is known worldwide for its ecological efforts, it is the US state of California. After the catastrophically bad air in Los Angeles in the 1940s and especially the 1950s, the first exhaust emission regulations for cars came from here in the 1960s. Here, catalytic converters had long been mandatory, even though the German automotive industry was still arguing that this could not work. Each Californian exhaust emission standard was implemented by most industrialized states with little change, although often later. In the meantime, the state is one of the pioneers of e-mobility due to its strict emissions regulations.
Broad-based, fast infrastructure
With its broad spectrum of sea, mountains, people and metropolises, California is a vacation region that is perfect to explore by car. The infrastructure is now so good that you don't have to worry about finding a sufficient number of charging stations. The Electrify America charging network in particular is both broad-based and fast at gas stations, shopping malls and the major interstates. The best place to look at the number of charging stations is the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The metropolis of four million, which has spread far inland as an agglomeration of eight million, offers a large number of charging stations. Most of them are located at large supermarkets, outlets and shopping centers.
VW ID.4 USA (8 Bilder)
Electrify America operates many of them. At its hyperchargers, a kilowatt hour currently costs 48 US cents. There is no need to worry about a charging card before departure and you can safely leave the chip card of your home electric car at home. There is also no need to download special apps for a stay. Unlike in Europe, payment at all charging stations can be made simply by credit card.
Better than in Germany
When we put Huntington Beach to the test, the charging stop went off without a hitch. At a small shopping center, four charging stations are signposted - much better than in most places in Germany. Two offer 150 kW, the other two 350 kW - more than enough for the VW ID.4, which is well powered with its 220 kW all-wheel drive. Unfortunately, charging speed is still a bit of a problem, because while the European ID versions have recently been upgraded to 170 kilowatts of charging power, the Chattanooga-produced models have yet to do so.
Tesla Superchargers remain brand-bound
The digital display on the central display shows 126 kW, as does the indicator at the charging station. After two nights in Huntington Beach and a short detour south, we head for the warmer desert in Volkswagen's only electric model currently manufactured in the USA. Shortly before Palm Springs, there is a whole range of charging options directly on Interstate 10 in the parking lot of the Desert Hills Outlet. In addition to the Tesla Superchargers, which are generally not open to other brands in the U.S., there are other charging stations at the neighboring Morongo Casino and at the outlet.
Even on Friday afternoon, the charging situation is relaxed and the gray VW ID.4 sucks itself full of energy, while you can shorten the charging stop with a short shopping detour. After half an hour, however, one should not forget to unplug the car so as not to risk any penalties. The Americans have done a better job than the Europeans of setting up charging points in the parking lots of shopping centers. Because the battery is still more than 60 percent full, the ID.4 initially draws around 100, soon 80 and a little later only 55 kW.
Free of charge at the 10 kW hotel charger
Recharging for the favorable 42 US cents per kWh could have been saved, because the hotel in Palm Springs offers its guests a pleasant service. The overnight rate includes free refueling at one of the two 10-kW chargers. "More and more guests are arriving with electric cars, so we're thinking about installing two more charging points," says hotel operator Rita.Two days later, we're on our way to Las Vegas, not via the interstate route via San Bernadino and Barstow, but past Joshua Tree National Park, Twenty Nine Palms and along the old Route 66. Here, the number of charging points is low, but in Goffs and near Needles, the navigation system shows them and their occupancy.
Unfortunately without head-up display
We set off early in the morning, and before sunrise the LED headlights of the ID.4 put themselves excellently in the limelight. The comfortable seats with massage function are a boon on the long trips. This only applies to a limited extent to the plastic charm of the electric crossover's interior, because despite the chic decorative stitching and the central 12-inch screen, an ambience dominates here that is also familiar from unimpressive U.S. interiors. The navigation and controls are excellent. The only thing missing is the head-up display, which the driver would have liked to use instead of the blue LED bars when turning.
VW ID.4 USA (10 Bilder)
The charging stop on Historic Route 66 near Goffs is more of a drinks stop, because unlike expected, the high mountains of eastern California and Nevada hardly put a strain on the VW ID.4 with its 82-kWh battery pack despite the brisk driving pace. The four-wheeler from Chattanooga would have made it all the way to Las Vegas without a charging stop. The short intermediate charge in the desert demonstrates a frequent criticism of the nationwide charging network operator Electrify America - a large number of the charging stations are defective and this is also the case at the filling station in the Californian hinterland. The two 350-kW chargers don't work, so the electric car fills up at the neighboring 150-kW station. As the time goes by, it gets warmer and warmer-until the 100-degree Fahrenheit mark is cracked near Henderson and one wishes for seat air conditioning. The oversized panoramic roof has long since been shaded with the electric blinds, so it remains pleasantly cool inside despite the nearly 38 degrees Celsius.
Queues in Vegas
When it comes time to recharge in Las Vegas the next day, another problem with many U.S. charging points becomes apparent. During the week, most Americans charge in their garage at home, but on weekends, they take their cars out for shopping, dinner and entertainment. As a result, long lines form in front of the charging stations at major shopping malls - and not just at Tesla Superchargers. The situation is very similar at the large hotels, which have hardly adapted to electric cars in the gamer metropolis. On weekends, you should therefore be prepared for waiting times during the day. This is also because many electric cars include two to three years of free charging for at least 30 minutes per session in the purchase price or the monthly leasing fee.
Cheap in Baker
On the way back to Los Angeles and the Pacific coast, there are several fast-charging stations on Interstate 15. Baker, right next to the world's largest thermometer, is a particularly fast and inexpensive place to charge. At EV-Go, it's cheaper in the morning hours, and when needed, the battery pack fills up for just 31 US cents per kilowatt hour.
(Bild: Grundhoff)
A good hour later, the Walmart in the former railroad town of Barstow offers another quick-charge stop. Here, two of the only four charging stations are again stuck and the ID.4 fills up its battery to 80 percent before the charging speed drops to below 50 kW and the journey continues to Los Angeles. Once you arrive in the San Bernadino Valley, you don't have to worry about the charging situation at all - the slow charging stations offer 50 kW, most of them right next door in Malibu, Santa Monica or the Beverly Hills 350. Here, drivers of cars like an Audi Etron GT or Porsche Taycan can also take advantage of the high charging power.
Even in remote regions without any problems
Driving an electric car through the western United States is no problem at all, and it's better than expected, especially in remote regions. There is no need to worry about the general infrastructure, even if the pressure on the charging stations increases at peak times. For the most part, this can only be felt on weekends and at shopping centers. The entire charging process in the U.S., with contactless payment by credit card, is exemplary, and just as with liquid fuel, charging electricity is also significantly cheaper than in Europe. Where can you charge between 31 and 48 U.S. cents per kilowatt hour without an existing contract?
Not even 18 kWh per 100 kilometers
The VW ID.4 AWD was more than convincing as a motorhome. It consumed less than 18 kWh per 100 kilometers and easily reached 270 miles (430 kilometers) or more with a full battery pack - even when driving uphill and downhill, in hot and cool temperatures. What is not convincing is the automated driving, because after just a few seconds the crossover forces you to make slight steering corrections because touching the artificial leather steering wheel is not enough.
If you don't want an old US classic from Rent a Wreck like a Cadillac Eldorado or a Ford Thunderbird from the past, then you'll want an electric VW ID.4. It costs at least just under 39,000 US dollars in the USA with the small 62 kWh battery pack and rear-wheel drive. The 195 kW all-wheel drive Pro-S version with the large battery costs just under $53,000.
(fpi)