Volkswagen ID.4 breaks electric vehicle distance record

The Volkswagen ID.4 has broken a world record for the longest continuous journey by an electric car, clocking more than 56,327km over 100 days in the USA.

Long-distance driving enthusiast Rainer Zietlow and photographer Derek Collins were behind the wheel for the entire trip, starting and finishing in Herndon, Virginia. The duo dropped into 628 Volkswagen dealerships across all 48 mainland states, as part of the brand-backed promotional tour.

“It was great being able to share my experiences with the ID.4 with so many different people, including dealership staff, along the way,” Zietlow said.

“Breaking the record is not only a testament to the reliability of the ID.4, but also to the actual readiness of the nation’s charging infrastructure.”

In top-spec 'GTX' guise, the Volkswagen ID.4 is powered by dual electric motors sending 220kW to all four wheels. This allows the 0-100km/h sprint to be completed in a claimed 6.2 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h.

A 77kWh lithium-ion battery pack integrated into the floor permits a maximum range of 480km between charges, according to European WLTP testing protocols.

Almost 15,000 examples of the Volkswagen ID.4 have been sold in the USA in 2021, however the model is still not offered in Australia.

A spokesperson for the German brand's local arm previously told Drive the ID/4 would likely launch as Volkswagen's debut electric vehicle Down Under in the coming years.