As implied by its very name, Volkswagen intends to democratize all-electric vehicles in the coming years with a plethora of new cars, utilities, and pickups based on a small yet versatile collection of platforms. The MEB that gave us the ID.4 and many others will soon welcome a new member into the fold, namely the ID.7 sedan that’s almost done testing, as per the automaker.
The Wolfsburg-based manufacturer intends to reveal the mid-size model on April 17th, describing it as being an upper mid-size class vehicle for Europe, China, and North America. Pictured in the beautiful Spanish province of Alicante, the ID.7 will be launched in the Old Continent by the end of 2023. Whether it arrives at dealerships by then or next year, we don’t know yet.
Why is the ID.7 such an important vehicle for Volkswagen despite featuring a body style that seems to be selling increasingly worse due to the rising popularity of crossovers? For starters, it’s the first model from the MEB family to feature a highly efficient drive unit. The newly developed motor is the most powerful and torquiest motor developed by Volkswagen for ID. applications.
Internally designated APP550, said unit was designed for battery sizes of 77 to 86 kilowatt hours. The latter net capacity will enable a whopping 700 kilometers (435 miles) of driving range under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure. But alas, the advertised estimate is only wishful thinking because WLTP is traditionally more optimistic than the EPA’s range estimates for electric vehicles in North America.
Another detail of interest comes in the form of drag coefficient. Volkswagen says the most slippery configuration offers 0.23 Cd thanks to a frontal area of 2.45 square meters (26.37 square feet). The Hyundai Ioniq 6 boasts up to 0.21 Cd, which means that Volkswagen has to do better in this particular segment.
The ID.7 Pro, which features the lesser of the aforementioned batteries, will reportedly charge at up to 170 kW with direct current. Level up to the ID.7 Pro S with the larger battery and the maximum driving range from earlier, and Volkswagen promises up to 200 kW.
Series production will start later this year in Emden, with the first U.S.-bound units of the ID.7 coming to North America in 2024. Adaptive chassis control is on the menu as an optional extra, giving the ID.7 a large spread between comfort and sportiness. Be it standard or adaptive dampening, the mid-sized electric sedan uses MacPherson struts up front and a five-link rear end.
10 colors are in the offing for the standard ambient lighting system, with customers offered an optional 30-color system. Interior highlights further include ergoActive seats with electrical adjustment, smart air vents, augmented reality for the head-up display, and a premium-oriented audio system from Harman Kardon with 16 channels, 13 speakers, a sub, and 700 watts.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News