The I.D. CROZZ is more compact and has a lower roofline than the all-new 2018 Tiguan, yet the CUV provides just as much space. Like the I.D. and I.D. BUZZ, the I.D. CROZZ is also based on the newly conceived Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB). The MEB models have a very long wheelbase, with compact powertrain components and a battery that lives under the floor. The interior space is generously proportioned and provides a true “Open Space”.

By 2025, we want to have sales of pure electric vehicles up to one million units a year. The I.D. CROZZ will play a key role in that. Production will start in 2020.

—Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management, Volkswagen Brand

The I.D. CROZZ illustrates the adaptability of the MEB architecture: the drive system components—two motors, the high-voltage battery and the electronics that link everything together—are incorporated into the car’s overall package. This gives the designers and engineers freedom to change the way in which the car is designed.

The 83 kWh lithium-ion battery is housed in the CUV’s floor. This creates space and lowers the center of gravity to help handling and ensure ideal weight distribution. The two electric motors directly drive their respective axles. Normally, the rear wheels are driven, but as soon as additional traction is needed, an electric propshaft distributes the power between front and rear axle in fractions of a second.

The I.D. CROZZ can be permanently driven with all-wheel drive when going off-road or in the snow. At the back the work is done by a compact 150 kW, 310 N·m motor, while at the front it is a 75 kW, 140 N·m coaxial drive system.

The power electronics control the flow of high-voltage power between the motors and the battery, converting direct current (DC) stored in the battery into alternating current (AC). The on-board electronics are meanwhile supplied with 12 volts via a DC/DC converter.

Because the battery is centrally integrated within the CUV and the motors are mounted at front and back, the I.D. CROZZ has an ideal 48:52 front:rear weight distribution. As a result, the I.D. CROZZ demonstrates handling characteristics like a Golf GTI’s. The multi-link rear and strut-type front suspension has electronic damping, with decoupled subframes that incorporate the drive system. The suspension facilitates great handling and top levels of ride and acoustic comfort. The layout of the front axle and the overall package at the front of the car also lead to a very small turning circle of 34.5 feet (10.5 meters).

The I.D. CROZZ is 182.1 inches long, with a 109.2-inch wheelbase, and is 74.4 inches wide and 63.3 inches tall. The concept car offers similar interior space to the all-new 2018 long-wheelbase Tiguan, but is 3 inches shorter, 1.9 inches lower and 2.2 inches wider.

Cockpit. The I.D. CROZZ is operated via self-explanatory touch displays, capacitive keypads, and voice and gesture control. The digital hub is formed by the electrically adjustable and retractable multifunction steering wheel, an Active Info Display, an electronic rear-view mirror (e-Mirror), the augmented reality head-up display, and a door panel.

Integrated in the middle of the instrument panel is a 10.2-inch tablet that forms the infotainment system with an individually configurable home screen. It can be individually laid out via four different function-related tiles, such as ‘Messages’, ‘Media’, ‘Telephone’ and ‘Navigation’. Housing and screen merge seamlessly into one another. A new feature here is the ‘CleanAir’ menu, which shows information on the air quality and activates preconfigured climate settings.

The steering wheel is an illuminated sensory surface with which the driver can switch from manual to fully automated (‘I.D. Pilot’) mode. This is done by touching the VW logo for three seconds. The steering wheel then retracts into a flush position within the dashpad. The traditional round shape is changed to a wheel with six rounded corners, creating a high-tech steering wheel. Integrated into the bottom section is an ‘island’ with illuminated capacitive fields that control things like: the ‘P’, ‘R’, ‘N’ and ‘D’ gears; turn signals; phone calls; playlists; and volume for the sound system.

The driver receives all data relevant to driving, such as speed and visual navigation instructions, via the head-up display. Directions, for instance, are projected as virtual images 23 to 49 feet ahead of the car.

A 5.8-inch Active Info Display shows information to the driver and can also be used, just like the tablet in the instrument panel, to view standard content such as the media library or satellite navigation map. The display uses three transparent layers to display the various types of information.

• On the bottom, the navigation map is on the first layer;

• the digital content retrieved using the Volkswagen User-ID is displayed on the second layer; and

• the third layer, on the top, is used to display driving data such as the distance to the destination.

Conventional rear-view mirrors are replaced by the e-Mirror. A monitor combines the data from three external cameras and transmits the images to the driver.

Autonomous Driving. Activating the fully automatic ‘I.D. Pilot’ mode is done by touching the VW logo on the steering wheel for three seconds. The interior ambient lighting then switches from a white light (Drive) that aids concentration to a warm, relaxed magenta/violet. At the same time, the distribution of ambient lighting is extended to the rear seating area.

Four laser scanners emerge from the roof in ‘I.D. Pilot’ mode. The I.D. CROZZ is able to detect other road users not only by means of its laser sensors, but also with the help of ultrasonic and radar sensors, side area view cameras and a front camera.

Fully autonomous mode is deactivated by touching the Volkswagen logo on the steering wheel or by pressing the brake or accelerator pedal.