U.S.-bound VW ID.7 sedan: Everything you need to know [Update]

Update: ‘First Impressions’ section added, ‘Specifications’ revised.

More than 15 electric sedans from global car companies are expected stateside by 2026. One of them will be the VW ID.7, which made its online debut in a camouflaged version on January 3, 2023, and celebrated its stage premiere in the same form at CES 2023 on January 5, 2023.

As the electric vehicle revolution continues to gain momentum, it’s sedans and station wagons that seem to be getting left behind. In 2023, customers are increasingly preferring the looks, space, and raised seating position of crossovers and SUVs over traditional sedans. But that doesn’t mean we should write them off just yet – the EV era promises to add excitement and innovation to what was until recently the biggest segment in the United States.

Here’s everything you need to know about the VW ID.7:

VW ID.7 Design

The VW ID.7 is the production version of the VW ID. Aero concept from 2022, and for Europe, there would be a station wagon model as well.

The thin disguise on the VW ID.7 prototype shown in Las Vegas leaves almost nothing to the imagination. The new electric sedan embodies the same design language as the VW ID.3, VW ID.4, VW ID.5, VW ID.6, and VW ID. Buzz. It has an avant-garde exterior with extremely dynamic proportions and fluid elements.

Front

At the front, the rendered electric sedan features a muscular hood, sleek headlights (probably with IQ.LIGHT LED matrix technology), a powerful nose section, triangular, vertically positioned side air inlets, and an X-shaped lower air intake with a mesh grille over it.

Side

On the sides, a fast-sloping roofline, a swift kick in the beltline from the rear doors, and the gentle upswing in the lower body behind the wheels give the car a coupe-like styling. The C-pillars seem to extend behind the wheel arches, allowing an elongated glass area and a greater feeling of openness for occupants. Some might feel the car looks like a grand tourer. While this particular unit has 20-inch wheels wrapped in 235/45 R20 tires, we’re certain multiple wheel and tire selections will be available.

Rear

The rear-end of the ID.7 has a dominating character, standing upright. The clear-lens LED tail lights look quite sporty and their feature clusters feature a honeycomb structure. We can’t tell for sure yet, but it looks like they have a thin inward extension meeting the brand logo, which, like at the front, is an illuminated badge, and imparts a techy look. Volkswagen has likely opted for a hatch/liftback, but we are yet to receive confirmation. The short deck, concave trunk lid, and swoopy lower section lend the car a sporty style.

Interior

The VW ID.7 sedan features a space-focused interior with minimalist vibes. It has a low-profile dashboard that seamlessly merges with the door panels, creating a wraparound effect, slim and wide front AC vents neatly integrated into the dashboard, and floating cockpit displays.

New digital cluster & HUD

The display concept of the ID.7 is slightly different from current ID. models. Volkswagen has harmoniously integrated a new digital instrument cluster into the dashboard instead of mounting the familiar 5.3-inch display over the steering column. It’s slimmer and displays much less information, but the augmented reality head-up display could be an advanced unit, making up for that.

15-inch touchscreen

Where the ID.7 truly stands out from the rest of the ID. models is with its new bigger touchscreen infotainment and climate control systems. While the current ID. EVs ‘settle’ for a 12-inch touchscreen, the ID.7 has a 15-inch touchscreen. Thankfully, it’s not a tablet-like portrait orientation, which would’ve messed with the elegance of the cabin. Apparently, Volkswagen isn’t feeling pressurized by Ford, Tesla, and Chinese EV makers, maintaining its European soberness.

New climate control system

Volkswagen has used a new ‘Intelligent Climate Control System’ that recognizes drivers by their key and activates the air conditioning through ‘Smart Air Vents’ that are operated electrically and controlled digitally. The flaps move dynamically and distribute the air over a wide area like fans.

In automatic mode, the climate control system reacts to the climatic surroundings. It sets the temperature and the direction of the airflow according to the position of the sun. The driver and front passenger can adjust the temperature using the backlit touch slider control integrated into the first level of the infotainment system. Volkswagen customers have long asked for illuminated temperature controls, and the company has finally responded, beginning with the ID.7.

Specifications

MEB Platform

The VW ID.7 sits on the MEB platform that underpins all the current ID. models. Developed from scratch for electric vehicles, MEB allows for designing models with better component packaging for improved space, performance, and efficiency compared to EVs based on modified ICE models, like the VW e-Golf, for instance.

Dimensions

The VW ID.7 measures 194.5 in. in length, 73.2 in. in width, and 60.2 in. in height, meaning it is 0.9 in. longer, 0.6 in. wider, and 1.5 in. taller than the North American Passat (193.6 x 72.6 x 58.7 in.) that it replaces. Its wheelbase, measuring 116.9 in., is 6.5 in. longer, which should mean it’s significantly more spacious. For reference, the gas-powered sedan’s wheelbase and passenger volume ratings were 110.4 in. and 101 cu. ft., respectively.

The ID.7 is substantially more aerodynamic than the Passat. While the discontinued car’s drag coefficient was 0.28 C_d, the new car cuts through wind more efficiently with a drag coefficient of just 0.23 C_d. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is still the benchmark in this segment, though, with 0.21 C_d.

Acceleration

Citing Frank Welsch, Head of Group Quality Management and Strategy, Volkswagen Group, an Autocar report shared a number of main specifications of the VW ID.7. The new electric sedan will come in single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD configurations. The single-motor RWD variant’s 0-62 mph acceleration time will be approximately 8.5 seconds.

Battery & Range

According to the Autocar report, the ID.7 would have an 84 kWh battery pack. Compared to the current MEB platform cars, the ID.7 should have battery packs containing more efficient cells. Reduced rolling resistance and new aerodynamic efficiency measures may also help keep energy consumption in check.

Volkswagen targets a WLTP range of up to 700 km (435 miles) for the ID.7. The new electric sedan’s EPA-est. range could be around 350 miles, which may turn flocks of potential electric SUV buyers, including those considering the ID.4, to it.

Charging

22 kW (AC)/170 kW (DC) could be the maximum charging power of the ID.7. Fast-charging through Electrify America’s Level 3 (DC) chargers from 10 to 80% SoC should take just around 30 minutes. With software updates, the DC charging power should keep getting better over its lifecycle. Bi-directional charging should also be available in the ID.7.

Aspect	VW ID.7 Specification
Length	194.5 in.
Width	73.2 in.
Height	60.2 in.
Wheelbase	116.9 in.
Battery Pack Capacity	84 kWh
Drivetrain Layout (Expected)	RWD & AWD
Power	Up to ~300 hp
0-62 mph Acceleration Time (Expected)	~8.5 seconds (RWD)
WLTP Range (Officially Targeted)	Up to 700 km (435 miles)
EPA-est. Range (Expected)	300-350 miles
Maximum AC Charging Power (Expected)	11 kW (U.S.)/22 kW (Europe)
Maximum DC Charging Power (Expected)	170 kW
Lowest Level 3 Charging Time (10-80% SoC)	~30 minutes

VW ID.7 GTX (AWD)

Dr. Silke Bagschik, Head of Sales and Marketing for the ID. Family and Chief Marketing Officer for ID. Digital, Volkswagen, confirmed in June 2022 that all future electric launches will receive the hot version with all-wheel drive:

We will continuously expand this brand and offer a GTX variant for every ID. model in future—from the ID.3 to the ID. Buzz.

Dr. Silke Bagschik, Head of Sales and Marketing for the ID. Family and Chief Marketing Officer for ID. Digital, Volkswagen (June 15, 2022)

The styling differences between the VW ID.7 GTX and the standard ID.7 could be similar to the ID.4 and the ID.4 GTX trims, such as exclusive wheels, gloss black panels for the intake, unique bumpers, and three honeycomb elements that complement the headlights’ DRLs.

The all-wheel drive VW ID.7 GTX could be a key rival to the Tesla Model 3 and the Polestar 2, with a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint coming up in 5.2 seconds. In case it makes it to the U.S., its EPA-est. range could be around 250 miles.

Production & Release Date

Volkswagen has confirmed it will manufacture the ID.7 in Emden, Germany, and conduct the reveal in Q2 2023. More specifically, according to a report Auto Zeitung released in its 02/2023 issue on January 4, 2023, the VW ID.7 will celebrate its world premiere in two versions in May 2023 and enter production at the German factory in Fall 2023. Early pilot production had already begun.

Volkswagen has designed two versions of the ID.7 as it intends to market the car through two joint ventures in China: FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC-Volkswagen. The former could be the same design from CES 2023 sans camouflage.

2024 will likely be the year the ID.7 begins arriving at Volkswagen U.S. dealerships. Expect prices to start at around USD 50,000. Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen Passenger Cars’ new CEO, has said that the company plans to launch 10 new EVs worldwide by 2026. Most of these models should arrive in the U.S. sooner or later.

First impressions

Kyle Conner from Out of Spec Reviews mentioned in his first look YouTube video that the ID.7 should offer itself as a great road-tripper, helped by the ‘Travel Assist’ safety suite. He was particularly impressed with the active safety system for its multiple driver-assist features, enabling a more relaxed road-trip experience. Conner further pointed out the ID.7’s advanced digitally-controlled intelligent climate control system, which recognizes the keyfob via proximity sensing & then activates cooling or heating depending on individual driver profiles.

Joe Raiti of Raiti’s Rides stated in his first impressions YouTube video that the electric sedan’s specialized camouflage was the result of 40 layers of paint. The reviewer liked the blacked-out effect applied to the interior portion of the LED headlights, the sculpted lower apron of the front bumper with its corner-integrated air curtains, the illuminated ‘VW’ badge, and the general ID.-specific styling cues. Raiti also liked the strong character line along the sides of the ID.7, plus the design of the 20-inch machine-finished alloy wheels. Further, the reviewer noted how the long wheelbase & short overhangs would lead to a roomy interior.

Thomas Majchrzak from Autogefühl YouTube channel said that the 40-layer camouflage paint job includes special electrodes that light up the whole car surface of the ID.7. Depending on the market, the German auto reviewer said that the VW ID.7 is likely to go up against cars such as the Nio ET7, Mercedes EQE, and possibly even the Hyundai Ioniq 6. Majchrzak noted how the relatively-flat roof should provide good rear headroom, while the ‘fastback’ design will make loading & unloading items from the boot easier.

TopElectricSUV says

The VW ID.7 sedan is the successor to the Passat, featuring a more aerodynamic exterior, a more spacious and cleaner interior, futuristic technologies, and most important of all, a pure-electric powertrain. It will undoubtedly be more exciting to look at, drive, and ride in than its predecessor, and compared to the ID.4, likely more energy efficient.

VW ID.7 sedan FAQs

Featured Image Source: Volkswagen Group