Volkswagen, who very much destroyed their carefully crafted image and reputation with dieselgate, have reversed their self-inflicted misfortunes after the ID4 First Edition sold out in America. It’s interesting how consumers can quickly condemn then forget and move on. The ID4 as with the ID3 is being hailed as one of the most important cars of the decade. It isn’t, but it is certainly an important, too little too late, step for Volkswagen. It is far too late for those who have suffered financial loss, and the effects of pollution due to the Volkswagen delegate emissions scandal.

In simple terms, dieselgate was a highly orchestrated fraud and continues to cost VW tens of billions in fines and lawsuits. The ID4 is an electric crossover with a range of 250 miles on a single charge and retails from $40,000. The ID4 First Edition retailed for $43,000 and quickly sold out. The Tesla Model Y is the ID4’s closest rival and entry-level models will retail with a similar price point to the ID4. 

The Model Y will offer 298 miles of range on a single charge and fast-charge from zero to 80 percent in 20 minutes. The ID4 will fast-charge from zero to 80-percent in 30 minutes. Personally, I would go for a Tesla Model Y, indeed any Tesla because they have a 15-year head-start on VW. And Tesla technology is simply at a more advanced stage.

The ID4 demonstrates that Volkswagen can get away with metaphorically shooting a randomly targeted person on 5th Avenue. Whether it’s an electric car or fossil-fueled car VW is confident enough to know people will continue to buy their products.

If you are as big as Volkswagen and commit fraud on an industrial scale you can simply get away with it. For Volkwagen reputational damage is always temporary, the Actuaries said so.