Volkswagen has presented the new ID.7 luxury electric sedan overnight with up to 700 km WLTP range. The new ID.7 will first be launched in Europe and China in 2023, and from 2024 in North America.
The new model will include a newer powertrain and a suite of technologies that Volkswagen says will make the new large sedan a “comfortable limousine for long-distance travel”.
The “limousine” credentials come from the length of the car which stands at nearly 5 meters long and would offer plenty of interior space sitting on VW’s dedicated electric platform.
“The ID.7 sets new efficiency standards on the basis of the modular electric drive matrix (MEB),” said Kai Grünitz, VW’s head of development.
“We are aiming for a range of up to 700 kilometres in accordance with WLTP. This is made possible by very good aerodynamics and by significantly increased efficiency in the areas of the powertrain and thermal management.”
It’ll also be the first Volkswagen to include a new operating and display “concept” according to the brand. Along with that, it includes exclusive equipment that is not found on any of the existing ID. series vehicles.
Speaking of the interior, the inclusions are quite different from other ID. series models. Some of the new updates include:
- 15-inch horizontal vehicle control and infotainment screen
- Minimalistic interior
- Climate-controls via screen
- Interior lighting
- Upgraded Augmented Reality (AR) heads-up display
At its official premier, which was live-streamed globally, Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars shared why he thought the ID.7 was taking VW’s electrification efforts to the next level:
“With the ID.7 we are taking the next step in our electric offensive. The limousine offers a high level of comfort and long ranges.
“Already by 2026, we will offer the widest electric range of all manufacturers in Europe – from the entry-level model for less than 25,000 euros up to the ID.7 as the new top model within the ID. family. Our goal is to achieve an electric car share of 80 per cent in Europe by 2030. As from 2033, Volkswagen will produce only electric vehicles in Europe.”
In terms of design, the new ID.7 is quite aerodynamic achieving a coefficient of drag of just 0.23. This will help with achieving a higher range than Volkswagen’s previous electric SUV models.
On the inside of the vehicle, there are 14 Harman Kardon speakers as well as a subwoofer for a premium audio experience in Volkswagen’s new “limousine”.
The new ID.7 will be manufactured at Volkswagen’s German plan in Emden for Europe meanwhile Chinese model will be manufactured locally on the mainland.
Earlier this month, the ID.7 was spotted testing in Europe but now with the premier overnight, more details have been released about it’s features and the luxury market it is aiming for.
A local launch is unlikely in Australia before 2024 given most markets the large electric sedan is being sent to first are left-hand drive markets.
Overall, this is an exciting step for Volkswagen and European along with Chinese customers who will see the vehicle later in the year. We look forward to seeing the variants and respective market pricing in the coming months.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.