Next week marks a significant milestone for VW, as the ID.3 electric hatchback starts production on November 4 at the company's assembly plant in Zwickau, Germany, beginning a new electric era for the German automaker. However, the ID.3 won't be sold in America. Instead, the first ID. model that will be available in the US will be an electric crossover, which was previewed by the ID. Crozz concept back in 2017 in Shanghai.

At this year's 2019 Frankfurt Auto Show, VW presented an updated pre-production prototype of the electric crossover, but it was shown in a glass box with poor lighting. This made it difficult to see the design details and take clear photos.

However, Volkswagen is once again teasing the upcoming electric crossover (which is expected to be called the ID.4), this time for the Chinese market where it will also be produced.

It appears to be the same pre-production model that was shown at Frankfurt as it's wearing the same eye-catching camouflage, but the official photos give us a much better look. As previous spy shots have also shown, the design of the production ID.4 looks toned down compared to the concept. The front styling looks nearly identical to the ID.3, with similar-looking headlights linked by a full-width light bar, and VW's new corporate logo.

The sliding rear doors have been replaced with conventional doors, and the sloping coupe-style roofline has been replaced with a hatchback-style roof to make it more practical. Since it shares the same platform as the ID.3, the ID.4 should be powered by two electric motors. In the Crozz concept, this setup delivered a combined 302 horsepower and a range of 300 miles. The electric crossover could also recharge to 80 percent in just 30 minutes.

Production of the VW's electric crossover is slated to start at the end of 2020. VW has already confirmed it will be shown in the US next Spring, which suggests it could debut at the 2020 New York Auto Show in April.