Volkswagen is advancing at a forced pace on the electric car to the point of growing its sales worldwide, in the first quarter of 2023, by 42.1%. But starting from a nascent market, it goes without saying that the margins for progress are substantial, electric representing only 6.9% of its total deliveries over the period. Nevertheless, the ID 7 is the result of a skilful stacking of electric models started with the ID 3 and which, after the ID4, the ID 5 and the ID Buzz, culminates this time at 7 with a very large sedan at road vocation.
By imposing a fundamental conversion on it, it is certainly targeting the clientele of the one it replaces, a model as anonymous as it is deserving. As such, one can wonder if the Volkswagen style should not have dared to have a sharper bodywork, this one falling into the typology of the electric range. The lines are smooth, the dimensions imposing and the vocation of company car or taxi already assured in the continuity of the Passat.
However, it is not a fault to be transparent, it is still necessary to be competitive. And this is now where the shoe pinches in the electric category where Tesla, by cutting prices to the limits of dumping, is plunging the competition into an abyss of perplexity. How indeed to produce these very expensive vehicles, more expensive in any case than internal combustion engines, while generating a sufficient margin?
This will be the challenge for manufacturers in pursuit of Tesla, and therefore of the ID 7. With its clearly identified family resemblance, with a roof in a sometimes contrasting color whose profile continues practically to the extreme rear, the ID 7 is close to 5 meters long but remains reasonable at 1.86 meters wide. The height of 1.54m is interesting because, quite contained with a brilliant Cx at 0.23, it denotes the presence of a low profile battery.
It will be 77 kWh actually usable for 82 kWh theoretical which allows to claim a range of 615 km. It will even be 700km with the larger battery at 86kWh (91kWh theoretical), which will be worth checking out in a test drive. DC charging supports 170 kW, and even 200 kW for the Pro S version, which allows you to aim for 30 minutes to go from 10% to 80%. The on-board charger supports 11 kW for public terminals up to 22 kW AC.
To start the career, the single rear engine develops 286 horsepower and, synchronous with permanent magnets, it is the first developed in-house by Volkswagen for this high-end rear-wheel drive vehicle. No doubt, a more powerful twin-engine and four-wheel-drive version will arrive in 2024. It seems that, compared to the other IDs, a noticeable effort has been made for the presentation and the interior finish. Surprise, it’s almost a great void facing the driver, the instruments being grouped together in the center of the dashboard on a large horizontal screen. This large car, whose price is expected to be around €60,000, will arrive in the autumn direct from the German factory in Emden, which produces all the electrics of the group.
