We take a Volkswagen ID.4 out on the New Jersey Turnpike to find out just how far it will go at a constant 70 mph. The ID.4 didn't disappoint and finished up with 230 miles driven when we pulled into the Electrify America charging station at 2% state of charge.
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 First Edition has an 82 kWh battery, of which 77 kWh is usable. It is EPA range rated at 250 miles per charge and we were able to drive it 230 miles, which is 92% of its official range rating, and still have 2% state of charge remaining.
| State of Charge | Miles Driven | Est. Remaining Range | Miles Driven + Est. |
| 100% | 0 miles | 241 miles | 241 miles |
| 75% | 61 miles | 184 miles | 245 miles |
| 50% | 116 miles | 124 miles | 240 miles |
| 25% | 169 miles | 66 miles | 235 miles |
| 2% | 230 miles | 4 miles | 234 miles |
However, the EPA range rating isn't the best barometer to use when comparing our 70 mph highway range test results. We always mention it, because it is what consumers see when they get the vehicle, and what they will likely expect the vehicle to deliver.
Check out InsideEVs catalog of 70 mph range tests
The best comparison is to use a highway range rating, but the EPA doesn't furnish the range in a split between city and highway miles. Instead, the fueleconomy.gov site provides the MPGe split for city and highway efficiency. It's not perfect, but you can estimate the city and highway range using the MPGe efficiency figures.
In the case of the ID.4, we estimate that works out to roughly 230 miles highway and 270 miles city. And wouldn't you know, 230 miles is exactly what we finished up with when we ended the test with 2% state of charge remaining.
About our highway range tests:
We always like to mention that these range tests aren't perfect. There are variables out of our control like wind, traffic, topography, and weather. However, we do our best to control what we can. We do these 70 mph range tests to provide another data point for potential customers that are looking for as much information on the driving range as they can get.
More 70 MPH Range Tests
We don't rely on the speedometer's accuracy and always set the speed to GPS, set the tire pressure to the manufacturer's recommendation, check the wind, set the heating (if it is cold) to 68 degrees and a low fan setting, place the vehicle in an ECO or range mode and drive on loops to help offset elevation changes.
We think the ID.4 performed very well in this highway range test, especially considering that it wasn't really great range weather. The temperature ranged from 40° F (4.5° C) to about 48° F (8.9° C). However, we did DC fast charge before the start in order to get the battery back up to 100% state of charge, and that certainly helped warm the battery up and most likely contributed to what we consider a very good result.
Source: InsideEVs (Youtube)