EV Motoring - 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 EV named World Car of the Year +VIDEO

The first SUV based on Volkswagen’s modular electric drive kit (MEB) receives the most votes from the 93 international jurors
ID.4 won praise for its environmental impact of no direct emissions and affordability
This is the fifth World Car of the Year award for Volkswagen

Wolfsburg / New York Apr 20, 2021; The Volkswagen ID.4 has been named “World Car of the Year 2021,” prevailing over strong global competition. The World Car Awards are presented by more than 90 international automotive journalists from 24 countries, who vote on the best innovations on the world market.

“We are particularly pleased about our ID.4 being named World Car of the Year”, says Ralf Brandstätter, CEO of Volkswagen passenger cars. “Not only because it is one of the most important car awards in the world, but also because the jury honored a great idea and a great team. The first ID. model for the key markets of Europe, China and the U.S. carries our electric offensive around the world.”

To be eligible for the World Car of the Year award, vehicles must be manufactured in volumes of at least 10,000 units per year, must be priced below the luxury-car level in their primary markets, and must be on sale in at least two major markets, on at least two continents, between May 1, 2020 and May 1, 2021.

“The World Car of the Year award marks a great success for our entire ID. team,” says Thomas Ulbrich, Board Member for Development at the Volkswagen brand. “We have succeeded in developing a car that starts the system change to e-mobility in the world's most important segment—compact SUVs—and offers excellent everyday usability. We are making innovative electric mobility in the volume market something that can be experienced by everyone.”

The jury praised the environmental friendliness of no direct emissions and technological advances of the ID.4, with its 82 kWh (gross) electric battery, full suite of driver assistance technology and innovative features like over-the-air software update and the ID.Light assistant.

With this win in the 17th edition of the World Car of the Year award, the ID.4 continues the success story of Volkswagen in this contest. Volkswagen plans to deliver around 150,000 ID.4s worldwide this year. Accelerating the e-offensive is a core element of Volkswagen's ACCELERATE strategy. The company plans to bring at least one new all-electric model to market globally every year.

Because of the COVID 19 pandemic, the award ceremony of the World Car Awards took place digitally this year. It can be viewed again on YouTube.com/worldcartv.

All Volkswagen winners at the World Car Awards:
2009: VW Golf (World Car of the Year)
2010: VW Polo (World Car of the Year)
2012: VW up! (World Car of the Year)
2013: VW Golf (World Car of the Year)
2021: ID.4 (World Car of the Year)

About Volkswagen
The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand is present in more than 150 markets worldwide and produces vehicles at more than 30 locations in 13 countries. Volkswagen delivered around 5.3 million vehicles in 2020. These include bestsellers such as the Golf, Tiguan, Jetta or Passat as well as the fully electric successful models ID.3 and ID.4. Around 184,000 people currently work at Volkswagen worldwide. In addition, there are more than 10,000 trading companies and service partners with 86,000 employees. With its ACCELERATE strategy, Volkswagen is consistently advancing its further development into a software-oriented mobility provider.