Volkswagen ID.7: Passat successor details on the eve of the premiere

Volkswagen's flagship electric ID model is set to debut next week at the Shanghai Motor Show. The Chinese Ministry of Industry has already revealed the appearance of the novelty, and the company itself spoke about its electric motor.

The VW Passat is gradually becoming a thing of the past: the last “hydrocarbon” generation of this model will debut in Europe this year, the new Passat will be offered only in the station wagon body, and instead of the sedan, the company will launch the all-electric Volkswagen ID.7 on the MEB platform. Volkswagen has been preparing for an electric replacement for the Passat for a long time: back in 2018, the first ID concept was presented. Vizzion, heralding the serial «electric train», in 2019 the world was shown the concept station wagon ID. Space Vizzion, in 2022, the German brand showed the third ID concept. Aero with almost serial forms, the interior of the serial ID.7 was revealed earlier this year, and finally, a full premiere will take place in the coming days.

It is still not clear what type of body the Volkswagen ID.7 has — a sedan (fastback) or a liftback with a large fifth door, but it is known that there will be a station wagon version — it should enter the market next year. This week, photos of the serial Volkswagen ID.7 and a table with the main technical characteristics appeared in the electronic database of the Chinese Ministry of Industry: the overall length of the novelty is 4956 mm, the width is 1862 mm, the height is 1537 mm, the wheelbase is 2965 mm. In general, it is clear that this is a full-fledged business class.

Judging by the nameplate on the stern, the production car will be called the ID.7 Vizzion, that is, just like the first concept, the production of the Chinese version will be launched at the FAW-VW plant in Foshan (Guangdong). Whether there will be a «understudy» from SAIC-VW is still unknown. The photos from the Chinese Ministry of Industry show several design options for 18- and 19-inch wheels.

The Volkswagen ID.7 will have rear-wheel drive single-engine and all-wheel drive twin-engine versions, in China so far only one rear-wheel drive version has been certified with an engine that has a peak power of 150 kW (204 hp), a constant power of 70 kW (95 hp). The maximum speed of this version is 155 km/h, the curb weight is 2122 kg, the gross weight is 2590 kg. The Times FAW Power Battery nickel-cobal-manganese battery has a capacity of 77 kWh, and a range of about 700 km on a single charge according to the Chinese CLTC cycle.

1/5 2/5 3/5 4/5 5/5Salon Volkswagen ID.7, as we already know, inherited many not the most pleasant features from existing models of the ID-family, including touch controls on the steering wheel and touch-sensitive climate and light control units. The media screen size is 15 inches, the narrow instrument screen does not protrude beyond the upper edge of the front panel and is complemented by a projection screen on the windshield.

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Volkswagen itself said yesterday about the new electric power module APP550, one of the first carriers of which will be the ID.7, but it is not yet clear in which modifications. APP550 is a compact, highly integrated module that combines an electric motor, inverter and gearbox. The claimed peak output is 210 kW (286 hp) and 550 Nm, which is about one and a half times higher than that of the electric motors of the previous series designed for the MEB platform. Key features of the APP550 are improved energy efficiency, combined cooling (liquid and oil but no oil pump), tighter stator windings combined with increased wire thickness, and stronger permanent magnets. The APP550 modules will be produced at the Volkswagen Group Components plant in Kassel, Germany.