MotorTrend explores what happens when a VW ID4 Pro EV completely drains its battery to 0 percent and 0 miles of range.
Whose dumb idea was this? Intentionally running out of juice in another MotorTrend EV? Well, mine, but it's all for you, dear reader. After all, how do you face your fears? Square up and tackle them head on. And if range anxiety is causing you sleepless nights, let's just see what happens when you hit zero in a Volkswagen ID4.yearlong test car would go much smoother.
The moment we all had been waiting for arrived. What would happen? How much farther could we go before turtle mode kicked in? Turns out about 9 miles. Using Point Mugu Rock's gravel turnout as our preferred emergency pull-off, I lapped back and forth along PCH with the ID4 performing as normal. While navigating this robot roadside assistant on my phone, I exited the car to make sure we weren't draining the 12-volt battery. Rather than continue with the stop-and-go tedium of the automated assistant, I took the option of filling out an online service request form via my phone's web browser.
After nodding when I asked if he towed many EVs before, he toggled the ID4's shifter to neutral and asked me for the tow eyelet that threads into the front bumper. To prevent the car from shutting off and enabling the automatic parking brake, I had to sit in the car as he winched it up onto the flatbed. I could have also engaged"roll mode" via the infotainment screen, but this was quicker.