The new Volkswagen ID 7, a low-slung saloon designed to rival the Tesla Model 3 that will go on sale later this year, has been revealed in a rather fetching ‘digital camouflage’ design at the CES tech show in Las Vegas.
The new machine is effectively an electric equivalent to the Volkswagen Passat, and will serve as the new ‘flagship’ model of the German firm’s ID range of bespoke EVs. It has been designed with a focus on aerodynamic efficiency, allowing for a claimed range of around 430 miles.
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Now, if the ID 7 looks familiar, that’s because it was closely previewed by the ID Aero concept car that was revealed last year. This latest model is based on the eventual production car, and the snazzy camo livery – which features light-up electroluminescent paint – is there to hide some of the details before a full reveal in the coming months.
Volkswagen brand boss Thomas Schäfer said that the ID 7 will extend the firm’s “electric model range into the upper segments”, in part by offering “top-class technology and quality”.
The ID 7 follows the styling established by previous models in the ID family, including the thin light strip at the front and very short overhangs, and is based on the same MEB platform. To maximise interior space and allow for an elongated, aerodynamic form the wheelbase has been stretched to 2970mm, which is about as far as can be achieved on the MEB platform.
The styling also features a number of aerodynamic details, including front air intakes that help guide the air flow down the side of the vehicle to create an air curtain. There’s also a coupe-style sloping roof, which Volkswagen says helps achieve “a very good drag coefficient”. While the brand hasn’t given details, it’s expected to have a drag coefficient of around 0.23Cd, rivalling the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 6.
Volkswagen has yet to give details of the powertrain options, but the ID Aero concept featured a 77kWh battery, and as with other ID models it is likely a 52kWh version will also be offered. Expect rear-driven single-motor versions and more powerful models that feature two motors and offer all-wheel-drive.
While Volkswagen has been coy on the tech that powers the ID 7, it has given some details about the interior systems, which it says come in response to customer feedback on previous ID models. That's a hint to some of the issues that have affected machines such as the ID 3, which VW is aiming to address with a facelift later this year.
The firm says that the ID 7 will offer a new “display concept”, with an augmented reality head-up display as standard along with a 15in infotainment touchscreen. There will also be illuminated touch sliders, and new climate controls that will be integrated into the first level of the infotainment options. Which we think means you won’t have to plough through 37 sub-menus to turn the heating on. Fingers crossed.
Incidentally, that air conditioning system features what VW terms ‘intelligent air vents’, which can apparently detect when the driver (well, the driver’s key, technically) is approaching and automatically cool the interior on hot days or heat it on cold days.
Meanwhile, new air vents are designed to control the flow of air to distribute it over as large an area of the interior as possible, and it will also respond to voice commands.
The ID 7 will follow the ID 4 as the second of Volkswagen’s electric models to be offered worldwide, and will be manufactured in China and Europe. It is likely to go on sale in China first, with UK models tipped to arrive early in 2024.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about that luminescent came paint: around 40 layers of paint were applied to the ID 7, some of which are conductive and some of which are insulating. In total, 22 areas of the paint are electrified below the top layer and can be controlled separately, which means they can light up. It sounds brilliant, but we doubt it will make the production version.
There are also QR codes integrated into the livery on the bonnet and sides of the car, which is an idea we suspect Volkswagen took from Move Electric’s Citroën Ami. Okay, we’re fairly sure they didn’t, but we do love any excuse to mention we have our own #MEami that has a QR code you can scan on the side…
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