Volkswagen Debuts ID.7, The Company’s Flagship Electric Sedan

The electric revolution might steer towards electrifying crossovers and SUVs of all sizes, which is why Volkswagen’s premiere of the ID.7 sedan / fastback feels like a breath of fresh air. This is the brand’s first electric model for the upper mid-size class, and initial range tests point towards it being an “efficiency champion” in VW speak - 700 km on the WLTP is no mean feat. Local launch dates have not been confirmed, but it shouldn’t be too far off given that potential customers from Europe and China will be able to attend previews in their respective markets this year.

The ID.7 is the first VW based on the MEB platform. With a claimed 286bhp, it will be the most powerful and highest-torque electric drive motor in a Volkswagen ID. model so far. This power variant is used in the ID.7 independently of the chosen battery size, which we assume has an impact on range and driving dynamics, whichever variant(s) lands in Singapore.

Charging capacities are rated at up to 200 kW, which is decent but not at Tesla’s level at the moment. VW mentions long-distance suitability for frequent drivers and fleet customers as target customers, which is also why it’s very lengthy at almost five metres long - about as stretched as an Arteon that measures 4,866 mm in length.

It’s probably appropriate to mention its resemblance to the Arteon given its fastback styling (and similar tailgate operation). It achieves a drag coefficient of about 0.23, noticeably more slippery than the Arteon, and identical to a Tesla Model 3.

A new operating and display concept is introduced in the ID.7. A 15-inch infotainment screen and an AR head-up display are the most obvious highlights. Sceptics might continue to question the feasibility of touch sensitive buttons, even more so upon the knowledge of a backlit touch slider in the ID.7. But seems like VW is trying to occupy the middle ground now by assigning “favourites” buttons on the infotainment. And crucially, a “new air conditioning operating concept integrated on the top level of the infotainment system”. There are only a handful of scenarios more frustrating than requesting for cool air on a sweltering summer via a less-than-intuitive process - fingers crossed for a more simplified HVAC interaction in the ID.7 (and future VWs).

While the ID.7’s specs for the Singapore market remain a wild guess at best, the potential of massage seats and an electronically dimmable panoramic sunroof are rather appealing - even more so when the latter can be switched between opaque and transparent settings not only by touch control, but also by voice if you’re bent on a hands-free approach.

Driver assist systems for the ID.7 will be developed with CARIAD, the software company of VW Group. Of worthy mention will be the possibility of equipping the ID.7 with a “memory parking” function over a distance of up to 50 metres. But as with most technology, it might be wiser to absorb what you are optioning your ID.7 with at point of purchase, given how rapidly these systems evolve.

---

Selling your car? Whatever the reason, caryousell@carousell, sell your car at the highest price today.