- VW took an ID.7 to the Nardo circuit, where it was driven 585 miles on one charge but at only 18 mph.
- This is almost 33% more than its claimed WLTP range, and it reflects its range potential in urban traffic.
- VW was supposed to bring the ID.7 to America, but it’s currently delayed until further notice.
The Volkswagen ID.7 is one of the longest-range EVs to come out of Europe. Its efficient powertrain and slippery fastback body give it a claimed WLTP range of up to 440 miles (709 kilometers), but the manufacturer wanted to prove that you can get a lot more than that out of one full charge.
VW took an ID.7 Pro S to the Nardo circuit in Italy, where Mercedes also tested the efficiency and range of its upcoming electric CLA, and it smashed its WLTP range. However, unlike the Mercedes CLA range test done at high speed, VW dialed the speed right down to eke as many miles as possible out of the 86-kilowatt-hour (usable capacity) battery—the average speed throughout the test was 18 mph (29 km/h).
Driving at this leisurely pace allowed the ID.7 to exceed its WLTP range of 440 miles (709 km) by 32.7%, reaching 585 miles (941 km) before running out.
This works out to an average electricity consumption of 6.75 miles/kWh (9.2 kWh/100 km), which is exceptionally low, although we can’t really compare it to other efficient EVs directly since they haven’t been tested at such low speeds.
It’s still not efficient enough and lacks the battery capacity to threaten the range and efficiency king of the EV world, the Lucid Air, whose big-battery version can go more than 500 miles on one charge at a steady 70 mph.
Volkswagen says in the press release that this speed is comparable to average traffic speeds recorded in some large European cities—13.7 mph (22 km/h) in Hamburg, Germany, and 19.3 mph (31 km/h) in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Photo by: Volkswagen
The ID.7 is Volkswagen’s largest and most luxurious car built on the MEB platform (although the ID Buzz can be similarly expensive) and it’s available as either a fastback or as the ID.7 Tourer wagon. It’s also the most aerodynamically efficient electric VW, with a drag coefficient of 0.23, and it’s pitched as a rival to cars like the BMW i4 and Mercedes-Benz EQE.
The ID.7 has been available in Europe since 2023 with a starting price of €57,990 ($59,500) before incentives; the top GTX 4Motion Business trim costs €71,890 ($73,800). Volkswagen says the ID.7 will eventually reach North American shores, but in May 2024, it announced it was delayed with no clear time frame for its debut. It could still arrive this year, but whether it will find an audience with SUV-loving Americans remains to be seen.
