VW has unveiled a camouflaged ID.7 electric saloon with Tesla-troubling range

Tags: #electric-vehicles

Volkswagen has revealed a camouflaged version of its forthcoming ID.7 electric saloon. Due for official reveal early next year and subsequently going on sale later in the year, Volkswagen is using its MEB platform and efficient aerodynamics to enable the ID.7 to achieve up to 435 miles on a charge.

VW’s ID.7 will be the first saloon based on its modular platform which was launched under the ID.3 a couple of years ago and has since gone on to underpin the ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs. It’s effectively the production version of the ID. AERO which was revealed last June in China, and for the most part VW has stuck to the recipe it had concocted for the AERO.

Volkswagen has chosen the CES show in Las Vegas for this launch, demonstrating the brand’s desire for the ID.7 to become a big seller in that market. In Europe, it’ll eventually become the only D-segment car on offer by VW, replacing the once-dominant Passat and the more recent Arteon. The QR code-inspired paintwork that the car has been presented in is electro-conductive, meaning 22 areas of the car can be made to light up through electroluminescence. It’s a gimmick, but a fun one.

In terms of size, the 7 is longer than the cars it will eventually replace at 4940mm. Other dimensions are 1859mm wide and 1529mm tall, whilst it has a considerable wheelbase at 2969mm. Effectively, it shares the same stretched version of the MEB platform as underpins the ID. Buzz.

Once we see the finalised version in spring 2023, VW is promising a car which follows ID styling cues and is also highly aerodynamically efficient. Air intakes in the front grille direct air through and around the car, for example, contributing to a low drag coefficient. To give some context, the ID. AERO concept achieved 0.23Cd, so expect the same or better, contributing to a range of up to 435 miles.

In terms of powertrain, we’re pretty certain that the 77kWh battery seen on the other existing ID models will be standard, whilst a larger, as yet unknown unit, will be needed to achieve that 400+ mile range. Two- and all-wheel drive versions will be offered again mirroring the power outputs already available on ID models, with a ‘hot’ GTX version likely, as much as anything to compete with the Hyundai IONIQ 6 and Tesla Model 3.

New innovations on the inside will come as standard and include a new digital display, augmented reality head-up display, and a Tesla-rivalling 15 inch touchscreen. Acting on feedback from current ID customers, air conditioning functions will be integrated into the first level of the infotainment and the system will use ‘smart air vents’ to control the flow of air for better efficiency.

A more intelligent voice control system is also promised, with VW giving the example of saying “Hello Volkswagen, my hands are cold” and the car responding by turning the heated steering wheel on.