Volkswagen ID 7 will start from £55k
ID 7 will offer ranges of between 382 and 435 miles
Prices announced for VW's EV flagship with long-range and estate models due later
The Volkswagen ID 7 will be more expensive than the Hyundai Ioniq 6, BMW i4, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3 when it goes on sale in January 2023, priced at £55,570.
The Pro Launch Edition comes with 19-inch alloys, 15-inch infotainment system and heated front seats as standard, as well as a free home wall charger and £750 in public charging credits.
Pricing for other models are yet to be announced but we anticipate cheaper trim levels to be offered in the future.
The ID 7 saloon was revealed earlier this year as the brand's long-awaited first electric saloon. It will rival the Tesla Model 3 with a brand new infotainment software, driving dynamics that major on long-distance travel, and that 435-mile range.
The regular ID 7 will launch in Europe and China this autumn, with the US following in 2024.
Two batteries will be available: a 77kWh pack (used in existing ID models) giving a 382-mile range and 170kW charging; and a new 86kWh unit that allows 435 miles between recharges and top-ups at up to 200kW. In the fastest Pro S guise, a 0-62mph time of around 6.0sec is achievable.
The saloon measures nearly five metres long and has a wheelbase of around three metres, making it larger than the Volkswagen Passat, which it indirectly replaces, and closer in size to the Phaeton luxury saloon, which bowed out in 2016.
Its cabin majors on practicality but various touches ramp up the ID 7's luxury credentials, including a panoramic roof that switches from opaque to transparent at the touch of a button, optional massage seats, an augmented reality head-up display, interior ambient lighting with up to 30 colours, and a 15.0in infotainment touchscreen running a heavily overhauled iteration of Volkswagen's MIB software platform. Boot space sits at 532 litres, beating both the 470-litre BMW i4 and 425-litre Tesla Model 3.
Volkswagen has focused on making this new infotainment platform – shared with the facelifted ID 3 – easy to use. There is a new direct-access bar at the top of the touchscreen for quick access to core functions, for example, the main menu can be opened without closing any in-use app, the home screen can be configured to show icons for a driver's most commonly used apps and the main climate controls are now permanently hosted at the bottom of the screen to avoid scrolling on the move.
Perhaps most importantly, the controversial touch sliders for the temperature and volume controls are now illuminated, meaning they can be used safely at night.
*ID 7 Tourer*
VW has also previewed an estate version of the ID 7 ahead of an official reveal "in the coming months."
Named the ID 7 Tourer, it is underpinned by the firm's MEB platform, which is also used by the ID 3 and ID 4. This platform is said to allow Volkswagen to maximise interior space via a long wheelbase and short overhangs.
Designed to be as practical as possible, Volkswagen has revealed it will have 545 litres of boot space with the rear seats folded up, and 1714 litres with them folded down, both figures which represent increases over the current Volkswagen Passat. The firm claims the boot itself is two metres long.
It has been developed with a strong focus on aerodynamics to maximise its range, with a smooth front bumper, rear lip spoiler, and door handles that sit flush with the bodywork. This helps to produce a drag coefficient of 0.24cd - just 0.1cd more than the saloon.
