VOLKSWAGEN has released details of its new ID.4, a pure electric compact SUV designed to take on a host of petrol, diesel and hybrid rivals in the world's largest new car segment.

Said to be "the first fully electrically driven SUV generating zero local emissions and produced with a carbon-neutral balance," the ID.4 has a claimed 323 miles range and can be fast charged with 198 miles of range in about half an hour.

The ID.4's battery stores up to 77 kWh of energy and is installed below the passenger compartment for a low centre of gravity. The electric drive motor, positioned at the rear axle, generates 201bhp - enough to accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 8.5 seconds and deliver a top speed of 99mph.

Thanks to the rear-wheel drive's strong grip and its 21 centimetres of ground clearance, the E-SUV also performs well in gentle off-road terrain, says VW.

Fractionally longer than the latest Golf, the ID.4 divides the space for occupants and technology in a completely new way in favour of passengers, VW says while claiming the room available in the vehicle interior is at the level of conventional SUVs in the next category up.

Depending on the rear seat backrest's position, the luggage compartment boasts a capacity from 543 to 1,575 litres. The equipment range of the ID.4 includes an electrically driven boot lid, roof railing and a towing bracket.

Together with other ID. models, Volkswagen is launching on the market a complete package for convenient, connected and sustainable charging of electric cars under the name We Charge.

Volkswagen has been supplementing the brand's traditional product portfolio with the ID. family: a new, independent product range.

Following the compact ID.32, the ID.4 SUV is the second fully electric model. In the future, Volkswagen will be competing in the globally booming compact SUV segment with the ID.4, which will be gradually turned into an electrically driven, global car with plans to produce and sell the E-SUV not only in Europe, but also in China and later in the USA.

On a whole, Volkswagen brand will be investing eleven billion euros in electric mobility by 2024 as part of the Transform 2025+ strategy.