Volkswagen’s ID Xtreme concept points to future electric off-roader

Volkswagen has shown what one of its electric SUVs is fully capable of with a new off-road-ready concept.

The ID Xtreme is based on the ID.4 GTX and it’s said to ‘combine the strengths of a modern SUV with the sense of adventure embodied by a rugged off-road vehicle’.

Volkswagen has upgraded the powertrain for the ID Xtreme, adding 87bhp over the standard GTX to a total of 382bhp. However, the real changes come in the car’s off-road preparation, with its raised suspension, 18-inch off-road wheels and extended wings – which are 50mm wider than the standard GTX – helping it to head further off the beaten path.

It’s all underpinned by the same MEB platform as the ID 4 GTX, too. “The modular electric drive matrix (MEB) has enormous technical potential,” said Silke Bagschik, head of the MEB Product Line. “For many of our customers, vehicles are much more than just a means of transport. With the ID Xtreme, we are raising electric mobility from VW to a new performance level.”

It also incorporates a roof carrier with added LED lights to help provide loads of illumination at night.

Plus, Volkswagen has generated a new exterior noise for the Xtreme, which is projected via sound generators in the wheel housing. Inside, the concept features upgraded seats, plenty of Alcantara trim and a number of orange accents.

The ID Xtreme will be shown to the public for the first time at the ID Treffen event in Locarno.