Volkswagen Unveils the 385-Mile Range ID Aero Concept, a Preview of its First Electric Sedan that Will Be Sold in the U.S., Europe and China

author: Eric Walz   

The Volkswagen ID Aero electric sedan will first launch in China, followed by Europe and the U.S.

Volkswagen unveiled a concept version of its first-ever electric sedan called the ID Aero that will compete against Tesla's flagship Model S. The premium electric sedan concept, which VW says will be similar to the production model, will debut in China in the second half of 2023. Following its launch in China, the ID Aero will enter production at the automaker's factory in Emben, Germany for the European and U.S. markets.

VW says the ID Aero sedan will be the flagship model in the ID family of electric vehicles.

"With the ID. AERO show car, we are revealing a preview of the next member of the ID. family. A car with an emotional and at the same time extremely aerodynamic design, a range of over 600 kilometers, an extraordinary amount of space and a premium interior," says Ralf Brandstätter, Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. "With our ACCELERATE strategy, we are intensively driving forward the electrification of our model range. Following the ID.4, this model will be our next global car for Europe, China and the US. "

Volkswagen is still in the early stages of electrifying its model lineup with its ID family of electric vehicles, which includes the ID.3 hatchback and ID.4 and ID.6 SUVs which have already debuted in China. The ID Aero will be Volkswagen's fourth electric model in China and will be offered in two versions, one from each of Volkswagen's local joint ventures. 

VW is aiming to launch a total eight ID models in China by 2023. 

The ID Aero is built on Volkswagen's MEB electric vehicle platform and is powered by a 77 kWh lithium-ion battery. The MEB platform contains all of the core electrical components, which frees up space. The MEB platfrom can easily adapt to many different sizes of vehicles, from compact crossovers to SUVs and sedans with battery capacities. VW's MEB platform also uses shared components to help lower the cost of future VW electric vehicles. 

Since electric motors take up less space than conventional engines and transmissions, the ID Aero offers a spacious and comfortable interior that's roughly a class-size larger in a vehicle with smaller overall dimensions.

The ID Aero concept is nearly five meters long and sports an aerodynamic design with a drag coefficient of 0.23 which helps to improve range. VW eliminated the door handles to further improve aerodynamics, replacing them with illuminated touch surfaces. The efficient electric powertrain combined with the ID Aero's aerodynamic design achieves a WLTP range of up to 620 kilometers (385 miles), making it suitable for long distance road trips.

The concept sedan is painted "Polar Light Blue Metallic", which is a light shade that VW says displays a golden shimmer effect in appropriate light conditions. The roof is painted in a high-gloss black to contrast with the vehicle body. The concept is equipped with 22-inch wheels.

The front grill features a narrow light strip that extends horizontally across the front to the right and left headlights, with an illuminated VW logo appearing in the center. The headlamps are LED matrix. The rear end features a dark light strip and LED tail light clusters with a honeycomb structure that create a unique look.

The launch of the ID Aero is part of Volkswagen's "ACCELERATE" Strategy", which will prepare the automaker for a changing auto industry that's quickly moving towards electrification, connectivity and autonomous driving.

The automaker aims to electrify up to 70% of its model lineup in Europe by 2030. In the U.S. and China, Volkswagen plans for 50% of its vehicles to be fully-electric by then.

Volkswagen did not say when the ID Aero will launch in the U.S., but it probably won't be until 2024. The automaker also did not share any information about the ID Aero's electric powertrain. But it will likely come in either a single motor rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, dual-motor configuration.

The launch of the ID Aero will also make VW a bigger rival to Tesla. In May, Volkswagen's CEO, Herbert Diess, said he believes that company can overtake Tesla to become the world's largest seller of EVs by 2025. 

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.