EPA fuel economy estimates for the new, 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 are in and the German EV is just as efficient as the company claimed it would be. The Environmental Protection Agency says that the ID.4 will be able to travel for up to 250 miles on a single change, which is identical to Volkswagen's forecast for the U.S. market. This figures places the ID.4 above the Standard Range version of the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 offers a competitive EV range

A range of 250 miles per charge doesn't sound all that impressive with the Tesla Model Y rated at up to 326 miles, but the ID.4 is actually a very competitive EV when compared to its direct rivals. The rear-wheel drive Ford Mustang Mach-E returns 230 miles in Standard Range trim, so the ID.4 provides an extra 20 miles. The German crossover also places a tad above the Kia Niro EV, rated at 239 miles, an extra 11 miles.

Volkswagen also offers a 1st Edition version with extra equipment, but it's powered by the same drivetrain. Pricing for these models starts from $39,995 and $43,995 respectively.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 is one of the more affordable options on the market

It undercuts the Mustang Mach-E by $2,900 and the Tesla Model Y by almost $10,000. However, the latter comparison isn't exactly fair, as the Model Y is AWD, whereas the available ID.4 is RWD. An all-wheel drive ID.4 will arrive in late 2021 and it will be a bit more expensive. But it will probably still cost less than the Model Y.

The Kia Niro EV is the only crossover on this list that's more affordable than the ID.4, but only by a very small margin. The Korean SUV starts from $39,090, which puts it only $905 below the Volkswagen ID.4.

A more powerful, AWD version is coming

The ID.4 debuted as an RWD crossover, but an all-wheel drive model is scheduled to arrive in late 2021. Fitted with two electric motors, this SUV will generate 302 horsepower, a solid 101 horses more than the RWD. Range will also change, but estimates aren't yet available.

While the ID.4 is restricted to an 82 kWh battery pack in the U.S., Volkswagen offers smaller stacks in Europe. Specifically, some trims sold over the pond feature 52 kWh batteries and less powerful motors. Volkswagen offers 146- and 168-horsepower versions over there.