VW will launch its 2025 ID.7 electric sport sedan in the U.S. in two trim levels and in both rear- and all-wheel drive formats. Typically, a two-trim strategy provides a more basic entry-level model and a mid- or top-range premium version. But since the VW ID.7 is being marketed as a ‘near luxury’ sedan, its base Pro S trim should come very well-equipped. The Pro S Plus will offer even higher levels of posh, adding 20-inch alloys, adaptive ride damping, front premium massage seats with heating and cooling, and an upscale 700-watt, 14-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system.
Rear-drive versions of the 2025 ID.7 will use a single motor mounted on the rear axle rated at 282 horsepower and 402 lb-ft torque. All-wheel drive versions will have two motors – one on each axle – capable of delivering a maximum of 335 horsepower. Both will use an 82 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Those are the same powerplants installed on the three upper ID.4 electric crossover trims for the 2024 model year. VW is holding back on revealing range estimates for the ID.7 until closer to launch, but the streamlined sedan should deliver a few miles more than the boxier ID.4, which is rated – for 82 kWh battery versions – at 292 miles for rear-drive models and 263 miles for all-wheel drive versions.
Sedans have been phased out by many automakers in the U.S. market and electric sedans are even rarer, so the ID.7 won’t have a lot of direct competition. Midsize premium electric sedans in the ID.7’s anticipated price range are the Hyundai Ioniq 6, which is likely to be the prime competition, plus the Tesla Model 3, lower trim levels of the BMW i4, and some trim levels of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, a crossover with some sedan-like styling characteristics.
The ID.7 may be the roomiest of the bunch. At 195.3 inches, it is longer than any of the others and just .75 inches shorter than the ID.Buzz van. The ID.7 also has a longer wheelbase – an indicator of cabin legroom – than any likely competitor except the Mach-E, which, at 117.5 inches, beats the VW electric sport sedan’s wheelbase by a scant half an inch. Driving range varies among likely competitors’ rear-wheel-drive models, from 256 miles for the base BMW i4 with a 66 kWh (usable) battery to an extended range of 310 miles for the Ford Mustang Mach-E with an 88 kWh (usable) battery.
The ID.7 is expected to come to market with a sporty, EV-modern interior with a flat dash hosting a centrally mounted, 15-inch infotainment touchscreen that will be control central for most vehicle functions. Backlit sliders beneath the screen will provide cabin temperature and audio volume controls, and there’s a touchpad on the left side of the dash with headlight and defroster controls. A head-up display will show drivers most of the info they need, projected directly onto the lower portion of the windshield, but there’s also a small digital driver info screen behind the flat-bottom steering wheel. The shifter is located on the steering column, leaving the center console clean and open.
To make up for the paucity of physical controls and to make it easier for drivers to use the vehicle’s functions – like selecting drive modes – without taking their eyes off the road to stare into the infotainment screen, VW has developed a voice command system that can be used to do more than change audio channels and make phone calls. Drivers will be able to use to it set those drive modes, set up the navigation system and driver-assist systems such as lane-keeping mode, and even adjust the in-dash vents for the climate system.
While VW hasn’t supplied most vehicle measurements yet, the company did disclose that the ID.7’s primary cargo area behind the fold-down second-row seats measures a spacious 18 .8 cubic feet. Among potential competitors, only the Tesla Model 3 and Mustang Mach-E have more.
ID.7 will use VW’s IQ.Drive advanced driver assist system as standard equipment. It features hands-on-wheel semi-autonomous driving in some circumstances. Also standard across the line will be automated Park Assist Plus for parallel and perpendicular parking. We expect standard safety and driver assist systems for the ID.7 to include full-range adaptive cruise control, front collision mitigation, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, and more. The ID.7 hasn’t yet been crash-tested by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). But the ID.4, with which the ID.7 shares a platform, has received top crash safety ratings from both.
Pricing is also to come and won’t be revealed until closer to the ID.7's launch in the third quarter of this year.
This was originally published on thegreencarguy.com. Author John O'Dell is a distinguished career journalist and has a been an automotive writer, editor, and analyst specializing in alternative vehicles and fuels for over two decades.
Manufactured in Tennessee on Volkswagen’s MEB modular world electric car platform, the 2021 VW ID.4 presents a new and compelling all-electric SUV that enters a segment presently dominated by Tesla, Chevrolet, and a select few others. What ID.4 brings to the battery electric SUV segment that Tesla doesn’t is price, coming in at a base cost of $39,995, some $10,000 less than Tesla’s Model Y.
For this, electric vehicle buyers get SUV hatchback utility, three-foot legroom in all seating positions, and ample luggage capacity for 5 adults. VW estimates ID.4 driving range at 250 mile on a full charge, and additionally points out that an additional 60 miles of range is attainable in just 10 minutes from a public DC quick-charge station.
Sporting a stature similar to that of Honda’s CR-V, the Volkswagen ID.4 rides on a steel-framed architecture featuring strut-like front suspension and multi-link suspension with coil-over shocks at the rear. This, combined with a long wheelbase and short overhangs, promises a smooth ride dynamic. Braking is handled by front disk and rear drum brakes.
A single permanent magnet, synchronous electric motor directs power to the rear wheels. The ID.4 produces 201 horsepower and 228 lb-ft torque that’s expected to deliver a 60 mph sprint in about 8 seconds. Electricity to power the motor is provided by an air-cooled, frame-integrated 82 KWh lithium-ion modular cell battery. An onboard 11KW charger enables three charge modes via standard 110-volt household power, 220-volt Level 2 charging, or DC fast charging. Typical charging with a home wall charger or public Level 2 charger will bring a full charge in 6 to 7 hours.
A minimalistic yet futuresque cabin with segment leading cabin volume rounds out ID.4’s architecture. Features include a driver-centric, touch sensitive steering wheel and a view-forward 5.3-inch ID information center that replaces conventional gauges. Vehicle operation is through steering wheel-mounted switches, with infotainment, climate control, device connectivity, navigation, and travel information accessed through a 10.3 inch touchscreen monitor. A 12 inch monitor is available with the model’s Statement Package.
Topping the list of features is expanded voice command and a communicative dash-integrated ID light bar. ‘Intuitive Start’ driver key fob recognition enables pre-start cabin conditioning capability. Base model upholstery is ballistic cloth with leatherette seat surfaces optional.
Volkswagen’s IQ Drive driver assist and active safety suite features travel assist, lane assist, adaptive cruise control, front and rear sensors, emergency assist, blinds spot monitoring, rear traffic watch and more. All this comes standard along with Pro Navigation, a heated steering wheel and front seats, wireless phone charging, and app connectivity for compatible devices.
The ID.4 EV is available in six colors and two trim levels, Gradient and Statement, for personalization. The optional Gradient package features a black roof, silver roof trim, silver accents, and silver roof rails along with 20-inch wheels to complete the upscale look. Looking forward, while rear-wheel drive is the choice today, Volkswagen is already talking up an all-wheel drive variant for early 2021 along with a lower-priced base model.
As the world’s largest automotive group, Volkswagen has the capacity to change the ever-expanding electric-car landscape. Looking at the style and utility of VW’s all-new ID.4, you can sense the renewed “people’s car” direction of the brand that accompanies the automaker’s commitment to electrification. VW says it’s aiming at selling 20 million electric cars based on the MEB electric car platform by model year 2029. Certainly, the potential for selling in truly significant numbers is reinforced by ID.4 pre-orders selling-out in just weeks, it’s safe to say.