As the Volkswagen ID.7 pulls up in front of us, it’s difficult to look beyond its eye-catching fastback design. Volkswagen’s new all-electric premium saloon breathes elegance, with its sleek, svelte silhouette eclipsing even the company’s stylish Arteon in length.
But the ID.7 hasn’t just been designed to look good –but to help ensure a fully-charged range of up to 384 miles*. That silhouette was conceived with efficiency in mind. And it has aced the meticulous Volkswagen engineers’ ambitious aerodynamic aims.
How aerodynamics work in cars and why it matters
Drag is the force of air acting to slow down what is moving through it. The lower a car’s drag coefficient, the less energy it uses to drive along. The ID.7’s drag coefficient is a remarkably slippery 0.23.
It isn’t just the ID.7’s elegant, three-dimensional front endthat helps it to slip through the air – Volkswagen’s designers have left no stone unturned in their efforts to give the ID.7 its impressive aerodynamic efficiency. Those front air intakes don’t just help to give this model its purposeful appearance. They also direct the air that flows through them down the side of the car towards the rear end.
This innovation, first tried and tested on race tracks, forms an air cushion around the car, which calms the air rushing round the body to reduce drag and therefore energy consumption.
The ID.7’s rear is dominated by, once again, that eye-catching horizontal LED strip, which extends to wraparound tail-light clusters. The sloping fastback roof helps how it moves through the air, emphasised on every model by being high-gloss black to contrast with the body colour.
What is the ID.7’s range and why is its design so special?
That sleek body is built around a 77kWh battery, which gives an impressive range of up to 383 miles on the combined cycle in official (WLTP) testing (the WLTP range for the ID.7 Pro Launch Edition is 384 miles).*
But the ID.7 is much more than a stylish, premium and practical machine. It is also packed with technology to make driving and life with the car as easy, comfortable and fun as possible.
Take that long roof. This is the first Volkswagen to have the new, optional ‘Smart Glass’ panoramic sunroof. This makes the interior feel brighter and even more spacious. Then, when the sun comes out, simply swipe your hand over a control in the roof lining or use voice control and – as if by magic – electrochromic voltage turns the glass opaque to keep the hot sun out.
It isn’t just the exterior that the designers have spent time refining and perfecting. Darkened privacy glass for the rear side and tailgate windows is standard. So too is the ID.7 Pro Match’s Air Care Climatronic system.
As well as controlling air temperature, Air Care Climatronic cleverly manages the quality of air inside the car. An air-quality sensor and anti-allergenic filteris designed to help prevent harmful substancessuch as fungal spores and allergens from entering the car.
And in a world first for Volkswagen, Air Care Climatronic employs a sunlight sensor embedded in the windscreen. This enables it to detect high outside temperatures and gauge the effect they might be having on the car. If, for example, the sun is shining on the passenger side, the air conditioning knows to direct more cold air to that area.
Air Care Climatronic is also three-zone. This enables driver and passenger to control their own settings individually via the central 15in infotainment screen. Rear seat passengers are also in charge of their own air conditioning settings using a rear-mounted control panel.
The air is distributed through intelligent air vents, the slim profile of which gives the interior its sleek stylish look. The direction and intensity of the air are controlled on the central screen while beneath it illuminated sliders adjust the temperature.
Volkswagen’s designers haven’t just been busy making the ID.7 comfortable to live with. Drivers can also personalise their car with its ambient interior lighting. Thirty standard colours gently illuminate the dashboard, door trim and smart phone charging plate. Yet another thoughtful design feature to help the ID.7 stand out from the crowd.
Book a test drive of the stunning new Volkswagen ID.7 or find a retailer near you
1For fleet queries contact Volkswagen or call 08000 093 397
*WLTP test data for ID.7 Launch Edition obtained under standardised conditions after the battery had been fully charged (to 100%). For comparison purposes. Figures may not reflect real life driving results, which depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles, speed, vehicle and battery age and vehicle load.
