The ID 7 - the biggest electric car in the ID range and a direct competitor for cars like the Tesla Model 3 and the Polestar 2 - will arrive in Ireland in the autumn, bringing with it high hopes of a significant breakthrough in range.
VW says it is aiming for a range of up to 700 kilometres in official testing conditions, which are generally optimal and don't usually deliver in real world driving conditions. Driving in winter, for example, has a big impact on battery consumption. Nevertheless, the range should be appreciably higher than what is being delivered in current VW EV’s.
At a length of five metres, it’s going to be a big car and there’s a noticeable emphasis on fastback design. This, in tandem with an 82 kWh battery, should deliver more streamlined efficiency thanks to its aerodynamically shaped body that descends at the rear into a hatchback style.
The fastback profile will be finished off with design touches such as a small front grille, front LED’s and rear LED light bars.
There’s no price indication for Ireland at this stage but some estimates on UK pricing suggest a tag of about £50,000, which give us a fair idea of how it will be priced here. It’s likely to be way above the threshold for EV grants.
At the other end of the VW EV scale, the company has confirmed that its ID 2 - which the company aims to sell in Europe for €25,000 or less - should be ready for launch in three years time. You can expect something along the lines of a VW Up, with budget trims and a reasonable range for city driving.
At the moment, the ID 7 is still being described as a "near production concept" but given that VW has already allowed some journalists to drive it, it isn’t likely to change greatly between now and the time of its launch.
With an output of 282 brake horse power from that bigger engine, the 7 is the most powerful yet in the ID range.
There will be a 15" infotainment screen - another nod to competition with Tesla - and a number of innovations are also being planed for it, such as a advanced massage seats and a panoramic roof that can be transformed from opaque to transparent using voice commands.
Screen functions appear to have been improved on those of other ID cars but things like climate control are still accessed by screen icons, which are proving to be unwelcome distractions for many drivers.
