Back in 2020, Volkswagen brought in a fleet of electrified Golfs to test the South African market. Gauging the response from motoring journalists, dealers, and would-be customers, the company then brought in its five-door ID.3 hatch in 2021, the first vehicle under its electric ID range. ID, says VW, stands for “intelligent design, identity and visionary technologies”.

Now, the ID.4, a sporty crossover SUV, is available locally, but along the way, there have been changes in its EV strategy. Bloomberg reported in May that VW’s shift to EVs had slackened on the back of delays in bringing some models to market, as well as slowing demand in China, where local brands dominate. VW said at the time that it would bolster its ID range with plug-in hybrids.