Volkswagen’s next electric SUV looks a bit familiar [Video]

This is car news, not a home energy story, but here's what's happening: Volkswagen is renaming its electric ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs as the "ID. Tiguan," part of a broader shift away from the ID.3/ID.4/ID.5 numbering system toward familiar model names like Tiguan, Polo, and Cross. New spy footage shows the redesigned SUV with a boxier, more traditional SUV shape and pop-out door handles instead of the flush handles on the current ID.4.

Volkswagen hasn't confirmed technical details, but the ID. Tiguan is expected to use the automaker's newer MEB+ electric platform, which should bring improvements to driving range and charging speed over the current ID.4. For comparison, today's ID.4 has an 82 kWh battery rated at up to 291 miles of range in rear-wheel-drive form (263 miles for all-wheel drive) under U.S. testing standards. The interior is also expected to bring back physical buttons for climate controls, following a pattern VW has used in other recent EVs after customer complaints about touch-only controls.

None of this affects current ID.4 owners directly, and no pricing or on-sale date has been announced. The ID. Tiguan is expected to make its official debut next month, so more concrete details on range, price, and availability should follow soon.