Volkswagen has revealed the ID Cross as an electric counterpart to the T-Cross that will take on the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E in one of the industry's hardest-fought battlegrounds.

A sibling to the ID Polo, Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq, the ID Cross is the fourth EV based on the Volkswagen Group's new MEB+ platform - a stripped-back version of the architecture that underpins the larger ID 3 and ID 4.

It is marginally larger in all dimensions compared with the combustion-engined T-Cross, but Volkswagen claims a significant improvement in interior space thanks to the packaging of its electrical systems. It has 475 litres of boot space, 20 litres more than the T-Cross, plus a 22-litre front compartment to hold the charging cable.

Volkswagen design director Andreas Mindt said the ID Cross's interior was designed to "feel like a friend". Fabric lines the centre console, dashboard and door cards, which, combined with ambient lighting, is intended to foster a lounge-like vibe.

Ergonomics have also been an area of focus. As in the ID Polo, physical buttons feature on the steering wheel and dashboard, giving more tactile responses to input compared with the touchscreen controls and haptics used in previous Volkswagen EVs.

There is also a small rotary-style controller on the centre console for adjusting the volume of the infotainment system or for changing track - placed so that it is in easy reach of either the driver or front passenger.

Mindt said buttons create a sense of "stability" inside the ID Cross. He previously told Autocar that dropping buttons in the first instance was a "mistake", and the new crossover reflects his commitment to offering them in all future VWs.

The ID Cross will be offered with a choice of three front-mounted motors with outputs of 114bhp, 133bhp and 208bhp. There will be two battery options: a 37kWh lithium-iron-phosphate pack with a 37kWh capacity for a range of 196 miles; and a 52kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt pack with a 271-mile range.

The smaller battery can be charged at up to 90kW, this figure rising to 105kW for the bigger pack. Both will be capable of charging from 10-80% in less than half an hour.

That puts the ID Cross on a par with the related Epiq and outdoes the rival 4-although the Renault is due an imminent update to boost both its range and its power, by way of a new motor.

ID Cross deliveries will begin later this year, with prices likely to start from around £25,000.

It isn't yet known whether it will qualify for the government's Electric Car Grant, which offers a discount of either £1500 or £3750 depending on the environmental impact of the car's production and transport to the UK. The ID Polo, Raval and Epiq all qualify for the lower band, and the ID Cross is likely to follow, being built in Pamplona, Spain, with European-made batteries.