Re:Volkswagen launches its first all-electric SUV, the ID.4
by Tagbert on Friday April 23, 2021 @05:40PM
(#26919541)
In what way is the price of the ID.4 2X? It’s closest match in the VW family is the Tiguan with starts around $26K. Yes, the ID.4 is around $14K more but that is due to the new technology that is slowly becoming more affordable. The first Chevy Volt’s price was around $40K ten years ago while the most recent Volt’s were around $32K last year. I’m sure that VW would prefer to be able to bring the price down to be more competative but in doing so, it would likely be below their cost to manufacture and that is not a good long term strategy.
This is a curse of the classic auto manufacturers. Look at the pricing discussed for the all-electric Ford F-150. Somewhere around US$100K. Where the gas car makers have come out with electric cars in a gas car product line, they've usually had about twice the base price.
Electric power is priced as a super-premium trim level. "More car per car".
This provides a huge opening for Chinese automakers, who don't seem to have that hangup. It ought to provide an opening for Toyota, if they ever get off their hydrogen fixation.