Myth-busting EVs: Top Automotive Journalists Share Their Secrets Behind the Wheel of the VW ID.4

Alicia Quarles With The Volkswagen Id.4 2
Alicia Quarles with the Volkswagen ID.4 2. Photo: A Girls Guide to Cars

Electric cars mean more fun, less stress on the road

After the pandemic began to subside, journalist Alicia Quarles decided it was time to buy a car. But what would be a good fit for this New York City based broadcaster, known to viewers of The Daily Mail, Good Morning America and E! News? Certainly something stylish, but also, cutting edge and capable. So, we asked her to test out the Volkswagen ID.4 in Los Angeles, and to meet up with journalists Abigail Bassett of TechCrunch, Lyn Woodward of Autotrader and Connie Peters of A Girls Guid to Cars to get the full story on EVs.

This series, How She Does It, was produced in partnership with Volkswagen of America to explore how the ID.4 can work for daily life. You can see more of these stories here and here, the full video series here. And follow the hashtag #SheDrivesElectric to discover more!

Alicia And Abigail Charging Id.4
Alicia learns the simplicity of EV charging form Abigail Bassett. Photo: A Girls Guide to Cars

Meet Alicia Quarles

If you follow the drama behind the Real Housewives series, you’ve probably heard Alicia’s name when she was rumored to be cast on the New York series. But a drama queen she isn’t; Alicia is more invested in bringing important and empowering stories to audiences. She’s an Emmy-award winning journalist whose audience also follows her style and lifestyle journey on Instagram and Facebook.

We asked Alicia to spend a few days in Los Angeles driving the Volkswagen ID.4 and interviewing some top automotive journalists about the myths surrounding electric cars, such as, are they slower than gas cars? Are they difficult to charge? And will they fit her personal style?

In LA, Alicia met up with Abigail, Lyn and Connie to talk about these and other details, and to learn how the ID.4 can fit her lifestyle as she shops for a new car.

Related: The Future of Volkswagen is Called ID. This is the VW ID.4 All-Electric SUV

Alicia And Abigail Id.4
We got a peek behind the scenes as Alicia takes the drivers seat in the VW ID.4 and Abigail Bassett coaches her on the perks of EV driving. Photo: A Girls Guide to Cars

The Perks of EV Driving with Abigail Bassett

Tech, wellness and business are just some of the topics Abigail covers at TechCrunch, Shondaland, Forbes and others. Also an Emmy-award journalist and former CNN producer, Abigail was one of the first journalists to write about the ID.4 when it made its US debut earlier this year. So, we had to ask her about the car and the technology that makes it tick, from Travel Assist driver assist systems to the ease of using public charge stations such as Electrify America.

While most owners will charge EVs at home, you can also charge the battery pretty quickly at a charge station; the ID.4 can recoup most of its battery charge in about 38 minutes at a fast charger –which is about 200 miles of range.

Alicia also got to experience regenerative braking, or as it’s called, ‘one-pedal’ driving; the ID.4 can be slowed almost to a stop simply by easing off the accelerator rather than using the brake. Not only does this re-direct unused energy back to the battery, it adds to the battery range, allowing the ID.4 to drive a bit further between charges.

Connie Peters W Id.4 Key
Connie Peters shows off her test drive: The VW ID.4

Talking Design, Inside and Out, with Connie Peters

Electric cars have become known for design–but not always great design. However, the mission behind the design of the ID.4 is to give owners a modern and minimalist experience without compromising the cargo space and capability we’re used to. Alicia got a personal tour of the details in the ID.4 with Connie Peters of A Girls Guide to Cars.

Connie, one of the top female car reviewers on TikTok, regularly puts cars to the style and function task, noting not just how they look – and how she feels in them – but how they function for her and her family. The ID.4 was impressive to her, not just for its sizable cargo area, but all the flexible and comfortable space. Connie highlights the details that make the ID.4 distinct, from the unique driver information screen to the embossed leatherette seats and the customizable media system.

Oh, and the panoramic sunroof, which has a particularly lovely feature: the screen retracts with the swipe of a finger. No quirky buttons or controls, simply swipe the control and the panel disappears (or, reappears!).

Alicia And Lyn Vw Id.4
Alicia Quarles learns the magic of EV driving from pro driver and automotive editor Lyn Woodward in the VW ID.4. Photo: A Girls Guide to Cars

Putting the ID.4 To the Driving Test Lyn Woodward

Does an EV have enough power to confidently merge onto the highway? Does it have enough battery power to drive all day? Is there a better time of the day to charge? Alicia spent the day with Lyn Woodward, an editor at Autotrader and also, a rally racer, to find out.

Lyn was excited to bust a few myths about EVs in the ID.4. One of the biggest myths is that EVs are slow. But, not so, she told us; the power is instantaneous in EVs and the ID.4 is no exception. That means simply merging onto the highway can turn a dull drive into a fun one, which Alicia discovered in the passenger’s seat. Lyn also shared how the technology in the car can make a long trip a cinch by mapping out a route that includes lots of charge station options.

And, with all wheel drive capability added for the 2022 model, the ID.4 is poised to take on all sorts of road conditions, from snow and sleet to slick, rain-soaked or rutted streets, all conditions that Alicia will likely face as she drives in and out of New York City.

See more on Alicia’s experience and that of race car driver Annika Carter and The Car Mom Kelly Stumpe on our YouTube channel

Scotty Reiss
Scotty Reiss

Journalist, entrepreneur and mom. Expertise includes new cars, family cars, 3-row SUVs, child passenger car seats and automotive careers and culture. A World Car Awards juror and member of the steering committee, Scotty likes to say the automotive business found her, rather than her finding it. But recognizing the opportunity to give voice to powerful female consumers and create a voice to match their spending power, her mission became to empower women as car buyers and owners. A career-long journalist, she has written for the New York Times, Town & Country, Adweek and co-authored the book Stew Leonard, My Story, a biography of the founder of the iconic grocery company Stew Leonard’s. Her love of cars started when her father insisted she learn to change the oil in her MG Midget, but now it mostly plays out in the many road trips taken with her family.

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