VW ID.7 testing is in its last weeks. Shortly before the world premiere of Volkswagen’s future ID. flagship on 17 April, VW provides pictures of the last test drives and delivers more details on the electric sedan’s drive, chassis, and comfort features.

The VW ID.7 will have a new, specially developed electric drive when it hits the market in Europe in the second half of the year. Volkswagen states the drive “significantly increases efficiency and power”. The drive unit in question is the APP550, which VW Group Components has been manufacturing in Kassel since mid-March.

More powerful and efficient

It is stated to have some 210 kW/286 hp of power and 550 Nm of torque. There are rumors of a twin-engined GTX version, but this won’t be available in the beginning. The chassis is akin to that of the ID. Buzz (same wheelbase) MEB platform, which means the car interior offers plenty of room.

VW emphasizes that the new e-drive has been “optimized above all in terms of energy consumption”. VW does not yet give any figures on the WLTP consumption, but that there has been hard work on the efficiency is also clear when one looks at the drag coefficient: 0,22 is an excellent number.

The standard rear-wheel drive ID.7 will be powered by the same battery as that of the ID. Buzz (77 kWh). Due to the enhanced efficiency, the WLTP range promised is 615 km. Later on, there will be a second battery version of 91 kWh (85 usable), promising a range of more than 700 km. That battery will also be used in the GTX version.

The bigger battery pack will enable faster DC charging at 200 kW, while the smaller one peaks at 175 kW. The supporting software enables you to pre-heat the battery for even faster charging and has a ‘battery care mode’ that monitors all parameters to guarantee a longer battery life.

Nice drive in a comfortable environment

The ID.7 is supposed to be particularly suitable for long journeys; thus, the chassis of this Passat-sized e-saloon has been tuned accordingly. VW says the optional adaptive chassis control (DCC) and the driving dynamics manager of the touring sedan have been further developed.

This is not only to achieve a wide range of driving options between more sporty or comfortable, but together with the returned progressive steering, these systems are said to provide both precise handling and high driving stability.

The spaciousness of the interior and the revised cockpit are also intended to ensure a high level of traveling comfort. The driver’s display remains reduced, but it differs from that in the ID.3 or ID.4. It is now embedded in the dashboard, as is the infotainment touchscreen, which measures 15 inches diagonally as standard.

According to VW, its operating concept has been “fundamentally revised”, and there are now illuminated touch sliders. The augmented reality head-up display also comes as standard in the ID.7. Volkswagen has clearly been listening to the critics of its first ID. customers and has revised the ‘human-machine interface’ accordingly.

“With the ID.7, we have exploited the potential of the MEB even further,” says Kai Grünitz, VW board member for technical development. “In addition, we have enhanced the control quality of the running gear and were thus able to further increase driving comfort. The combination of a superior drive system, comfortable running gear, and long-range make the ID.7 the perfect limousine for long-distance travel.”

Not a Passat, but in the same price bracket

One could say that ID.7 is the electric counterpart of the Passat, but it’s not the real successor of the latter. The next version of that Passat (still with ICE engines, but also PHEV) has been developed but will only be available in its estate version in Europe (being far more popular than the sedan).

The ID.7 is the production version of the ID. Aero concept, shown in 2022, but there will probably also be a sort of ‘shooting brake’ estate version based on the ID. Space Vizzion concept, presented in 2019.

Concrete prices aren’t known yet, but Volkswagen apparently wants the ID.7 to appeal to as many customers as possible, and certainly also the Passat owners who want to switch to electricity. Therefore, the basic version should have a price tag under €60 000, in the same price bracket as a current Passat PHEV. Not cheap, but more reasonable for an electric car of this size with these possibilities.