Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by Rose Morah
If you recently bought a Volkswagen ID.4 or planning to buy one, this article will walk you through everything you need to know about charging a Volkswagen ID.4.
This article will cover:
- How long it takes to charge Volkswagen ID.4 (charging speed/time).
- Using Tesla chargers to charge Volkswagen ID.4.
- Types of chargers and power output.
- Additional tips for charging the Volkswagen ID.4.
But before that, perhaps it is important to mention that the right term for “EV chargers” is Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). However, we are still going to refer to them as chargers because this is how most people know them.
Additionally, if you are a new EV owner, it is important to know that:
When it comes to charging your electric car, the EV will receive electricity as AC (Alternating Current) and convert it to DC (Direct Current).
Related:
Volkswagen ID.4 Tips and Tricks (VW ID.4 Hidden Features).
Pros and Cons of Volkswagen ID.4 Pro.
ID.4 RWD vs AWD: From Experiences of People Who Have Owned Both.
Volkswagen ID.4 charging capacity
Should you charge the Volkswagen ID.4 to 100%?
No, Volkswagen recommends its customers avoid charging ID.4 to 100% on a daily basis. However, once in a while is okay.
For instance, when going on a long road trip, you can charge to 100% if you feel like you will need the extra 20% to arrive to your destination.
Volkswagen does come with a battery capacity of 82kWh. However, it reserves 5kWh as a buffer and allows you 77kWh of battery usable capacity.
The 5kWh that acts as a buffer is, however, very small and this means that the battery could degrade faster if charged to 100% daily.
See also:
Common Volkswagen ID.4 Issues Reported By Most Owners.
6 Best EV Home Chargers(EVSE) According to EV Owners and experts.
Types of EV Charging and EV Plugs.
Types of electric vehicles (EVs) and which one you should buy.
Volkswagen ID.4 on road trips
Is Volkswagen ID.4 good for long road trips?
Yes, Volkswagen ID.4 is a great road trip companion. Its EPA range of 250 miles makes it even more possible to take on a long road trip. Additionally, its fast charging capabilities and features will guarantee you a seamless road trip.
“According to an online survey, 60% of ID.4 owners who have taken their ID.4 on long road trips reported not having the need to charge their ID.4 to 100% because they always had enough range to take them to their next destination.
55% of the ID.4 owners reported not experiencing range anxiety during long road trips.”
| Volkswagen ID.4 has an EPA Range of 250 – 260 miles. |
Volkswagen ID.4 Charging Speed
How Long Does The Volkswagen ID.4 Take To Charge?
Volkswagen ID.4 charging speed depends on the types of chargers and power supply.
For instance, you could be wondering, how faster is it to charge the ID.4 with an 11kw level 2 “wall box” VS charging with a level 1 cable?
It depends. The tables below will show you how much faster it is to charge the ID.4 on both level 1 and 2 chargers.
| In case you are new to EVs, there are three ways of charging an EV: Level 1 charging Level 2 charging DC fast charging “Level 3 charging” |
- Level 1 charging
Level 1 charging is normally done through household outlets that have 120 volts. This is the slowest type of EV charging.
We charged ID.4 on the level 1 charger, the table below shows more information about the ID.4 charging speed/how long it took to charge:
| Level 1 EVSE | Charging rate of 2 miles per hour |
| NOTE: Level 1 EVSE is the one that comes with the new Volkswagen. It takes days to charge from 0-100%. |
You may also like:
How Is VW ID.4 in The Snow? (AWD vs. RWD ID.4).
Best Tires For Volkswagen ID.4 (According To ID.4 Owners).
List Of VW ID.4 Voice Commands.
- VW id 4 level 2 charging
Level 2 charging is usually from a 240-volt power supply. They are usually found in public places and at home from an electric water heater supply, electric clothes dryer, etc.
When charging an ID.4, it is important to note that, it can only accept up to 11kW from a level 2 charger.
Most level 2 chargers can recover up to about 35 miles of range per hour. The table below gives more info on level 2 charging speed on ID.4:
| Level 2 charger (16-amp) | 10 miles of range per hour |
| Level 2 charger (32-amp) | 20 miles of range per hour |
| Level 2 charger (40-amp/9.6kW) | 27 miles of range per hour. |
| Level 2 charger (48-amp/11kW) | 32 miles of range per hour. |
You may also like: What to know before Running an EV Charging Cable Across The Pavement.
- DC fast charging “Level 3 charging”
DC fast charging normally has a power supply of about 400 to 900 volts. This is the fastest type of charger. It can charge the ID.4 up to about 7 to 8 miles of range per minute.
UPDATE: The newer chargers nowadays are capable of up to 1000 volts!
You should also note that the ID.4 can accept up to 135kW of power or more depending on the trim and battery from a DC fast charger (see the table below).
| ID.4 Trim | DC maximum acceptance rate (SK On & LG Energy Solution – Is the supplier of battery modules & Cells) |
| ID.4 Standard 62kWh RWD | SK On – 140 kW |
| ID.4 Pro 82kWh RWD | SK On – 170 kW LG Energy Solution – 135 kW |
| ID.4 AWD Pro 82kWh AWD | SK On – 170 kW |
| ID.4 S 62kWh RWD | SK On – 140 kW |
| ID.4 Pro S 82kWh RWD | SK On – 170 kW LG Energy Solution – 135 kW |
| ID.4 AWD Pro S | SK On – 170 kW |
| ID.4 Pro S Plus 82kWh RWD | SK On – 170 kW LG Energy Solution – 135 kW |
| ID.4 AWD Pro S Plus 82kWh AWD | SK On – 140 kW |
See also: Best Ways To Check VW ID.4 Battery Degradation.
However, not all DC fast chargers can deliver full power. Therefore, this means that when charging your ID.4 on some DC fast chargers it might take longer than on other DC fast chargers.
Additionally, when it comes to the charging curve, DC fast chargers have a different charging curve compared to levels 1 and 2, which hold a constant charging rate.
This means that when charging on a DC fast charger, charging starts at a good high speed but as it approaches 80% the charging speed slowly drops, as seen in the graph below:
This will also mean that it will take longer to charge from 80% to 100% on a DC charging station, and will also end up costing you more money and time.
See also: How Much it Cost to Charge an EV in California (Tips for Saving on EV Home charging in California).
Important Tips When Charging your ID.4 at DC Fast Chargers
You may need to download EV route planner apps, such as PlugShare or Chargeway. These apps are very convenient and will save you time when charging at DC fast chargers.
Here’s why:
- You can use these apps to check the power supply of the DC charging station. This way you won’t end up going to one that will take longer to charge due to a lack of full power (125Kw) delivery.
- Since ID.4 cannot use the CHAdeMO connector, the apps will help filter out DC charging stations that only have CCS (Combo) connectors for ID.4. Hence, you are able to avoid situations where you only realize that you are not able to plug in the charger after arriving at a charging station.
- ID.4 has partnered with Electrify America, to provide 3 years of unlimited charging. Therefore, through these apps, you can filter out other charging stations and remain with the Electrify America charging stations along your route. This also allows you to enjoy free unlimited charging.
Charging ID.4 on a Tesla charging station
Can ID.4 use a Tesla charger?
Yes, you can use the Tesla mobile connector, Tesla wall connector, or Tesla destination charger to charge your ID.4. However, you cannot charge your ID.4 on Tesla Superchargers.
But in case you are wondering why anyone would want to use Tesla destination chargers to charge their ID.4.
Well, Tesla destination chargers are usually very convenient since they are available in thousands of destinations, and have high power.
However, before using the Tesla chargers to charge your ID.4, you will need to purchase an adapter because Tesla uses a different connector for level 1 and 2 chargers.
If you decide to purchase an adapter:
- You will need to get Tesla J1772 adapters.
It is important to note that some adapters, especially the cheaper ones, are not rated for the power that ID.4 can accept.
Adapters come with different power levels. Therefore, I would recommend you buy an adapter that is at least 50 amps.
This is to avoid a situation where the adapter in the middle cannot supply the power being delivered, hence damaging your car or causing a fire (though in rare cases).
I also recommend purchasing the adapter at Teslatab. They have great quality products and adapters.
Other ID.4 Charging Tips
- Use the auto-lock feature found on the Volkswagen’s Car-Net app to automatically lock the level 2 charger to your car when charging at public chargers just to make sure that no one steals it.
- If you are going to be leaving your car to charge, be sure to check the app occasionally to make sure that it is still charging. Sometimes, though rarely, the charging may stop before it reaches your set maximum charge.
