Volkswagen has released further details about its next all-electric model from the ID. family, the new ID.7. Previewed by the aerodynamic ID. Aero concept car, the ID.7 will be sold globally as VW's first-ever electric saloon. Along with a 700-kilometre range, it features significant improvements to the ID. cabin design.
WLTP range of up to 700km
Full technical details on the ID.7's powertrain have not been released, but Volkswagen has confirmed that a (WLTP-ratified) range between charges of up to 700km will feature. That is partly made possible by a focus on aerodynamics for the ID.7 (hence the "ID. Aero" tag for the concept), which has been designed with low drag in mind.
Nonetheless, it's expected that the ID.7 will be available with a larger battery pack than is currently offered in the VW ID.4 and others, where the highest usable capacity is 77kWh. Volkswagen had previously confirmed that a bigger battery was on the way for the ID. Buzz, and it makes sense for it to be used in the ID.7, too.
The ID.7 is otherwise built on the same MEB architecture as the other Volkswagen Group electric cars, so expect rear-wheel drive as standard and the option of all-wheel drive in the future, using two electric motors. It's highly likely that there will be a high-performance variant of the ID.7 badged GTX.
Interestingly, Volkswagen has confirmed that the ID.7's wheelbase will be 2.97 metres long, which makes it only 18 millimetres shorter than that of the VW ID. Buzz. That should make for a particularly spacious rear.
Much-improved interface
Swipe through our image gallery of the ID.7 and you'll see a couple of shots revealing the car's new dashboard. While it uses the same steering wheel as other ID. models, it borrows the steering column mounted drive selector from the ID. Buzz and the digital instrumentation has been reduced in size to integrate with the full-width air vent design.
The vents themselves don't appear to have any physical controls, as they're adjusted via the 15-inch central touchscreen. Nonetheless, Volkswagen has responded to feedback in making the temperature controls more easily accessible on the display, while also adding illumination to the sliders at its base.
The result is a clean design with an uncluttered centre console to allow for lots of storage.
Irish launch for VW ID.7
We won't have too much longer to wait to see the production-ready ID.7 as Volkswagen plans to take the camouflaged wrap off in the "second quarter of 2023". It's expected to hit the Irish market in time for the "241" registration period in January 2024.
At the ID.7's unveiling at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Vegas this week, Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, confirmed that it's one of 10 new electric models to be launched by 2026.