VW ID.7 concept previews an upcoming electric sedan
Volkswagen is again preparing to expand its range of ID-branded EVs. The next addition to the family is a battery-powered sedan called ID.7 and due out later in 2023, and the German company will preview the model with a camouflaged concept at the Consumer Electronics Show.
While the nameplate is new, the idea of a roughly Passat-sized electric sedan isn’t; Volkswagen gave us an early taste of the ID.7 when it unveiled a sleek design study named ID.Aero in June 2022. The CES-bound concept is almost fully covered in camouflage, but it looks like the Aero’s silhouette hasn’t changed much in the past couple of months. Some of the design details have evolved, however: The headlights look sharper, the lower part of the front bumper has been redesigned, and the door mirrors gained a more production-friendly shape.
Volkswagen hasn’t released technical specifications yet. All we know at this stage is that the ID.7 rides on the same modular MEB platform as the ID.4 and the ID.Buzz, among other EVs, and that it should offer approximately 430 miles of driving range when tested on the rather optimistic testing cycle used in Europe. Rear-wheel-drive will presumably come standard, and dual-motor all-wheel-drive could be available.
From the driver’s perspective, the ID.7 stands out from other ID-badged EVs in several key ways. The digital instrument cluster is notably embedded into the dashboard rather than installed on the steering column, and Volkswagen pledged to offer a long list of tech features such as an updated infotainment system displayed on a 15-inch touchscreen and an augmented-reality head-up display. The climate control system is worth a mention as well: it can detect when the driver is approaching the car with its key and begin to cool or heat the cabin.
After basking under the lights at CES, Volkswagen’s ID.7 will make its debut without the psychedelic camouflage in the second quarter of 2023. It will be sold in the United States, China, and Europe — unverified reports claim that the new sedan will replace the Arteon in Volkswagen’s American range. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, and there’s no word on where the America-bound model will be built.
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