Volkswagen ID.7 Production Commences in Germany

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【Summary】Volkswagen has begun production of its electric ID.7 sedan in Germany. The model, based on the MEB platform, will initially feature a 77 kWh battery with a range of 382 miles. An 86 kWh battery option will be available later, providing a WLTP range of 435 miles. The ID.7 is rear-wheel drive but may also have an all-wheel drive version. It will enter the North American market in 2024 and will also be sold in China through joint ventures.

FutureCar Staff Aug 21, 2023 11:14 PM PT

Volkswagen ID.7 Production Commences in Germany

Volkswagen has officially begun production of its all-new, all-electric ID.7 sedan at its plant in Emden, Germany. This marks the symbolic start of series production, as a small production run was launched in June. The manufacturer is already accepting orders in Germany, with the first customer deliveries expected to begin in the fall.

It's worth noting that the Emden plant had recently experienced insufficient demand for the ID.4 model, resulting in a two-week-long cancellation of late shifts, extended plant vacations, and a decision to postpone the launch of the third shift until the fall. Therefore, the success of both the ID.4 and the new ID.7 will heavily rely on consumer demand.

The Volkswagen ID.7 is a new MEB-based model that will initially come equipped with a 77-kilowatt-hour battery, which is similar to the batteries used in the ID.3 and ID.4 models. The ID.7 Pro trim is expected to have a driving range of 382 miles (615 km) in the European WLTP test cycle.

In the future, there will be an additional battery option available for the ID.7, offering 86 kWh of usable capacity and a total capacity of 91 kWh. This larger battery is expected to provide the ID.7 Pro S trim with a WLTP range of 435 miles (700 km). However, the exact timing of when this new battery option will be available is currently unclear. Both batteries are capable of fast charging, with the larger battery accepting up to 200 kilowatts of DC charging and the smaller one accepting up to 170 kW.

One interesting feature of the ID.7 is its electric motor. As the first MEB-based model, the ID.7 will be equipped with the new APP550 electric motor, which has a power output of up to 210 kW. This is an upgrade from the previous 150 kW motor used by Volkswagen in the rear of its electric vehicles, with an additional 80 kW motor in the front for all-wheel drive versions.

While the ID.7 is initially rear-wheel drive, there is a possibility that an all-wheel drive version, known as the GTX, will be introduced in Europe. The ID.7 is scheduled to enter the North American market in 2024 and will also be sold in China, produced locally by FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen joint ventures.