2025 Volkswagen ID.7 hatchback exhibits why aero guidelines for EVs

Obsessive wind-tunnel work—of the kind that was reserved for racing and supercars—has change into a vital in constructing fashionable electrical autos just like the Volkswagen ID.7.

Aero can go a great distance towards accelerating EV adoption. It isn’t simply the important thing to extra miles of vary and higher effectivity. It helps hold battery packs smaller, the footprint of the car lighter, and thus the worth down. And it may well assist hold cabins quiet and intensify the serenity of EVs. 

Boxy electrical SUVs could be the fashionable factor too, however making aero a prime precedence is one thing the ID.7 has worn on its sleeve all alongside, because it was previewed in idea kind because the ID.Aero after which revealed on this camouflaged prototype kind forward of CES in Las Vegas earlier this 12 months. It exhibits how aerodynamics can lead its kind and performance, and it really works—with sprawling area for 5 and their cargo, and an anticipated vary of about 350 miles on simply 77 kwh of battery in an anticipated U.S. mannequin on account of arrive later in 2024, for the 2025 mannequin 12 months.

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

VW boasts that each one this consideration within the wind tunnel led to a coefficient of drag of simply 0.23. It’s one of the vital aerodynamic of what it calls the five-meter sedans.

And whereas sedan typically means it has a trunklid, this one’s a hatchback—a kammback, some would possibly say, once you have a look at how tall the lip of the rear spoiler really extends. 

What dimension is the ID.7?

The profile might name out sedan, however the proportions are completely different. At 195.3 inches lengthy and 73.3 inches broad, whereas driving on a 116.8-inch wheelbase, the ID.7 is almost so long as a Tesla Mannequin S, Lucid Air, or Mercedes EQE, however about as broad because the Mannequin 3 or Hyundai Ioniq 6. Strolling as much as the ID.7 for the primary time, even with out all of its design particulars displaying, my first impression was that it’s shorter than it’s.

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

What messes with these preconceptions is the ID.7’s top. It’s 60.6 inches tall—taller than simply about any sedan—the Toyota Crown is the one present providing with such proportions. Within the ID.7’s case, it’s all a few stability, of becoming the battery pack and MEB elements beneath, whereas putting in a silhouette that’s as aerodynamically smooth as potential whereas providing all the inside area a automobile this dimension ought to. 

Though the ID.7 doesn’t but undertake the reengineered MEB+ structure, it presents lots of the identical enhancements promised for it, with a brand new motor, a bigger battery pack, and quicker charging.

VW ID.7 motor and battery upgrades

The brand new motor makes 282 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque—manner up from the ID.4’s 201 hp and 229 lb-ft. It’s from the identical household however successfully a brand new motor, with extra windings and stronger magnets than the present ID.4 motor, and it’s oil-cooled in addition to water-cooled, somewhat than simply the latter. A brand new inverter additionally goals to carry out with much less warmth buildup and recapture extra power from regenerative braking. 

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

All-wheel drive shall be accessible on the ID.7 ultimately, and which means including the identical lower-power, asynchronous unit from the ID.4.

Additionally debuting on the ID.7, and enabling that 435 miles of European WLTP-cycle vary, is a bigger battery pack. With a capability of 91 kwh internet and 85 kwh usable, the bigger pack makes use of 13 modules and 208 prismatic cells—versus the ID.4’s 12 modules and 288 pouch cells, including as much as 82 kwh internet and 77 kwh usable. 

The bigger 85-kwh battery pack costs at as much as 200 kw, permitting a 10-80% cost in about 25 minutes, whereas the 77-kwh pack hits 170 kw. VW has stated that bidirectional charging is on the best way for its MEB EVs, but it surely hasn’t but supplied an replace on how and when this arrives. 

The smaller 77-kwh pack within the ID.7 shall be provided first in Europe, and with regards to the U.S. this would be the solely battery accessible. 

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

ID.7 efficiency: perky and plush

My driving loop with the ID.7 was temporary—about 45 minutes, on remoted mountain roads close to Alicante, Spain, the place street bikers stopped with perplexed expressions, snapping photographs of what might need regarded like an artwork automobile. 

Over lower than 18 miles, most of it esses and hairpin turns beneath 40 mph. A fast blast up previous 60 mph minding slow-moving locals and the occasional street bike was sufficient to underscore there’s loads of passing authority from the single-motor format. 

Even that was sufficient to see the ID.7’s energy: It emphasizes a positively plush, quiet journey, whereas dealing with with precision however not outright sportiness. In brief, VW has tuned the ID.7 to really feel like a giant automobile. It’s one of many best-tuned amongst plush, giant sedans—on par with the Mercedes EQE sedan and Lexus ES, however without having for an air suspension. Staggered-width tires (255 in again, 235 in entrance in our take a look at automobile with 20-inchers) might play a job once you push it to the restrict, however with a passenger on board and our automobile’s prototype standing, we settled for its grace at a fast tempo.

The elective adaptive dynamic chassis management helps too, making this huge automobile really feel tidy on the tight hairpins and roundabouts and filtering out the coarse surfacing and jittery pavement at occasions.

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

Different calibrations between Eco, Consolation, Sport, and Particular person supply up a spread of driving personalities however most notably affected accelerator sensitivity. As with the ID.4, there’s no huge array of regenerative braking choices right here, or one-pedal driving; you solely have ‘D’ for gliding, with slight deceleration as from a gasoline mannequin, and ‘B’ for extra.

The lengthy wheelbase, the damping system, and practically 4,600-pound curb weight as examined—as much as perhaps 4,800 kilos in twin motor kind—additionally deliver a sense of composure and heft. 

We will’t but share ideas on backseat lodging or passenger area again there, however with giant door cuts and the lengthy cabin dimensions, it’s certain to be spectacular. 

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

ID.7 interface and luxury

Making its debut on the ID.7 is a “reinvented” cockpit design. As with the ID.4, the ID.7’s sprint emphasizes the horizontal, however a number of key design variations distinguish it. The interface carries over the ID.4’s haptic steering-wheel controls however provides backlit touch-sliders under the display for key local weather features. A big 15.0-inch touchscreen sits on the middle of the sprint, with a really small panel offering fundamentals like velocity and warnings. The remainder of the gauge cluster has been shifted upward—to an augmented actuality head-up show that shall be normal on all variations of the ID.7.

Different cabin standouts embrace an elective 30-color ambient lightning system, 700-watt Harmon Kardon sound, and new-generation ErgoActive seats that embrace therapeutic massage, heating, and cooling—with the latter adjustable between backrest and decrease cushion. Good vents might be repositioned by dragging your finger on the touchscreen, they usually operate with expanded voice controls to react to particular wants: You may say “My palms are chilly,” as an example, to get heat air in your palms plus the heated steering wheel activated. 

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

The display interface itself has been redesigned versus the one used within the ID.4 and ID.Buzz. Whereas it feels as advanced as ever, my takeaways had been that there’s extra redundancy and extra methods to customise it in your each day makes use of. It retains a tray of local weather management buttons locked to the underside of the display, whereas customers can create their very own tray of shortcut icons up prime. You may scroll facet to facet between as much as 5 completely different screens of tiles, organized as you want—one for household errands, one other for solo street journeys, one other for ride-hailing, as an example. 

ID.7 pricing and options

The ID.7 shall be constructed at Emden, Germany, for the U.S., which implies that it received’t qualify for the revamped Clear Automobiles Credit score, and with the U.S. model 18 months away, pricing and trim ranges are but to be set. Volkswagen calls the ID.7 a premium mannequin. 

Volkswagen ID.7 prototype (Euro spec)

Primarily based on what was stated about the way it will match into the market we see it touchdown between the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Mercedes EQE in value and market place—and as an all-electric different to the Toyota Crown or maybe Nissan Maxima. If Nissan’s Maxima returns all-electric in a pair years, it might be the ID.7’s most direct rival. 

In all, it’s extra snug than an SUV, it goes farther whereas requiring much less time hooked as much as the charger, and it seems sensible. 

So there may be hope for vehicles in any case.