New electric wagon version Volkswagen ID.7 was spied on completely undisguised in Europe.
In images and videos taken by Instagram users Audi_pictures and shared again by Wilco Blockwe can see a rather upright styling of what can be called Variant ID.7.
Indeed, from behind it looks almost like an SUV – almost like we see a Chinese market VW Tavendor or Viloran from behind.
The wagon will join the previously revealed ID.7 facelift, and ride on the MEB electric vehicle (EV) architecture that underpins the range of Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Cupra models.
With the Arteon out of production this year and the Passat sedan dead, the ID.7 liftback and wagon and the Passat wagon will be Volkswagen’s only vehicles in the mid-size segment – at least in Europe.
The ID.7 may not be coming here, Volkswagen Australia has told Car Expert late last year it was not a priority for local brands.
“We are not in the project at the moment. We’ve looked at it a few times, but at the moment it’s not on our list that we’re trying to bring in,” said Michelle Rowney, head of product for Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles in Australia.
Thanks to its flat underbody and aerodynamic five-door rear lift, the ID.7 has a drag coefficient of 0.23. We expect the carriage to have a different shape.
At launch, the ID.7 will be available in a single-motor rear-wheel drive configuration with a new in-house developed AP550 motor. make 210kW and 545Nmit is the most powerful electric motor offered so far on the MEB architecture.
The GTX ID.7 version, which will be revealed in September, is likely to feature this motor paired with a less powerful motor at the front to generate around 290kW in total.
In addition to the more powerful motor, the ID.7 also brings in revised components for the MEB architecture. Fast charging speeds now exceed 200kW, compared to 170kW on the ID.Buzz and the 125kW limit on the previous model.
The Pro S trim in Europe also comes with a 86kWh battery pack, the largest yet seen on an MEB car, with an estimated WLTP driving range of 700 km.
The usual 77kWh batteries from other Volkswagen ID models are also available, and these are said to provide 615 km driving between charges.
Reflecting the updates under the skin, the ID.7 also features a revised interior interface with a 15.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. Not only does it feature an updated user interface with configurable shortcut buttons and climate controls always visible at the bottom of the screen, but it’s paired with a capacitive slider that lights up at night.
Some unloved recent Volkswagen elements remain, including capacitive buttons on the steering wheel, and a window switch that requires a button to be pressed to alternate between front and rear window controls.
The brand’s new CEO, however, has been quite outspoken about working to remove features that alienate customers, including ditching the capacitive steering wheel switches.
Features available in the ID.7 include an augmented reality head-up display, adaptive Climatronic front seats with heating, cooling and drying functions, a 700W 14-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system with a boot-mounted subwoofer, and an electrically convertible panoramic glass roof. from transparent to opaque.
When equipped with the Travel Assist feature, the ID.7 can perform assisted lane changes at up to 90km/h when prompted. The car is also capable of automatic parking that can be monitored either from inside the car, or outside the vehicle through a smartphone application.
The ID.7 is set to be available in Europe and China from the third quarter of 2023, and in the US in 2024. The European and US models will be built in Emden, Germany, while the Chinese vehicle will be built locally.
While Tesla has the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover, Volkswagen can top it off with the ID.7 liftback and ID.4 SUV while also offering a uniquely wagon version of its Model 3 rival.
Wagons remain popular in Europe even as SUVs continue their ascent there, but there hasn’t been much activity in the electric wagon space.
Currently, there is only the small, budget-priced MG 5 and the high-end Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo.
There will soon be more activity in this space, with BMW set to introduce a Touring version of the i5 and Audi previewing the upcoming A6 e-tron in concept form.
Nio has also revealed a Touring version of the Tesla Model 3 that rivals the ET5.
