Due to a lack of semiconductors, the American branch of Volkswagen has been selling its ID.4 electric crossover with electric resistors since the end of December 2022.
Car manufacturers are suffering severely from the lack of components, and this is starting to be felt in the cars delivered. While Audi told its customers in early January that its Q4 e-tron would be supplied without a heat pump, it is the turn of its parent company to adjust the production line.
No information on a possible return to normal
According to the media Drive Tesla Canadawho contacted a spokesperson for the automotive group, the latter is unable to indicate ” when the shortage will end and when [Volkswagen] can start installing heat pumps again on his electric ID.4 SUV.
It should be noted that this change concerns the production line in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which produces the vehicles for the Canadian market only. When the vehicle was launched in this territory, the heat pump as standard equipment was supposed to ” dramatically improve battery performance […] under the most adverse conditions “. Soon after, it finally became an option.
The final car bill revised downwards
As a palliative to the situation since the end of last year, Volkswagen is replacing its heat pumps with a conventional resistance heating mode. This product being less expensive, customers who have ordered their ID.4 will, in fact, receive an invoice reflecting this change.
On the other hand, the brand did not comment on the possible consequences of the absence of the heat pump on the performance of the ID.4s concerned. In addition, no information has yet been provided for the European market.
As a reminder, the heat pump works according to a principle of thermal energy exchange which allows it, in essence, to produce hot air with cool air. Less energy-intensive than an electrical resistance circuit, it has established itself in electric vehicles, whose motors do not produce enough calories to heat the passenger compartment.
We have been waiting for months for the arrival of the Tesla Model Y, available to order but not available in France before the second half of 2021. Volkswagen has the luxury of marketing one of its main competitors even before its launch. Based on the ID.3, the ID.4 combines the electric with the most popular automotive genre of the moment.
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Sources: Drive Tesla Canada, Insideevs, volkswagen
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