German car giant Volkswagen has given a sneak preview of how its next luxury electric car could look, taking the covers off its ID. Aero model that’s almost as long as a limo.
The five-metre stretched concept has been developed with China’s rapidly-growing premium electric vehicle (EV) market in mind, and is promised to deliver a range of 620 kilometres – or 385 miles – on a fully-charged battery.
While the five-metre-long motor making its world debut today is said to be a concept, it is very close to being showroom ready, with production for European customer cars scheduled to start before the end of 2023.
A preview of Volkswagen’s next electric family car: This is the ID. Aero, which is a near-production-ready concept version of the forthcoming ID.6 luxury saloon
The ID. Aero previews Volkswagen’s first fully-electric saloon car, aiming to provide more rear interior space and comfort than any battery model it currently offers.
It is widely expected to be called the ID.6, continuing the size-related number lineage already in place for the company’s all-electric passenger models.
The second largest car brand by sales (behind Toyota) has firmly set its sights on Tesla’s Model S and the latest vehicles from its compatriot, Mercedes, including its EQE and EQS saloons.
However, the claimed maximum driving distance from a single charge won’t be able to compete with these rivals, as the Model S can go for up to a claimed 405 miles while the best EQE offers non-stop journeys for 410 miles. The EQS is the nation’s longest-range EV on sale at the moment, offering 453 miles.
The five-metre stretched ID. Aero has been developed with China’s rapidly-growing premium electric vehicle market in mind, and is promised to deliver a range of 620 kilometres – or 385 miles – on a fully-charged battery
The claimed range won’t be a match for the 405 miles offered by the longest-distance Tesla Model S (left) and falls short of the 453 miles delivered by Mercedes’ flagship EQS (left)
The electric cars on sale with the longest ranges
Want to know which electric models currently available in UK showrooms have the longest ranges?
These are the top 10, based on the claimed figures quoted by the car makers.
> Read our guide here
The ID.6 is being tailored predominantly for the Chinese market, where pure electric vehicles currently make up more than a fifth (22 per cent) of all new cars registered, despite its ban on new petrol and diesel cars being scheduled for 2035 – some five years later than in the UK.
Premium cars with lots of rear space are also hugely popular in China, while the European market has shifted more towards high-riding SUVs.
Volkswagen says it wants to become the ‘leading supplier of sustainable vehicles in China’, where at least every second vehicle sold by the end of the decade is expected to be a fully-electric model.
The ID.6 is due to go on sale there in the second half of next year, though Volkswagen bosses confirmed they are planning for production of European-spec cars at its Emden factory in Germany by the end of 2023.
At almost 5 metres long, it is expected to be the most spacious 100 per cent electric model VW will have in its arsenal, with the current largest being the ID. Buzz minivan, spanning 4.7 metres.
Compared to rivals, it will measure in around the same as the Tesla Model S, though more than 20cm shorter than the £100,000 EQS flagship Mercedes.
Premium cars with lots of rear space are also hugely popular in China, while the European market has shifted more towards high-riding SUVs
The ID.6 is due to go on sale in China in the second half of next year, though Volkswagen bosses confirmed they are planning for production of European-spec cars at its Emden factory in Germany by the end of 2023
It will be produced on the brand’s existing MEB platform that underpins the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID. Buzz, though the extended chassis means there’s plenty of space for its biggest 77kWh battery and a pair of electric motors.
VW has promised a range of 385 miles, with recharging capability of 200kW – meaning the batteries can be boosted from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in less than half an hour when using a rapid device.
In terms of performance, it should be a match for Volkswagen’s existing most potent four-wheel-drive EVs with the same battery pack, which can complete a 0-62mph sprint in around 5.5 seconds.
Other battery options are expected to be available when it launches, including a smaller 52kWh unit.
While the car on display at the showcase in China on Monday is long, it debuts a new ultra-aerodynamic silhouette
In terms of performance, it should be a match for Volkswagen’s existing most potent four-wheel-drive EVs with the same battery pack, which can complete a 0-62mph sprint in around 5.5 seconds
‘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 kilometres, an extraordinary amount of space and a premium interior,’ explained chief executive Ralf Brandstätter.
While the car on display at the showcase in China on Monday is long, it debuts a new ultra-aerodynamic silhouette.
The front is in-keeping with existing ‘ID’ model design already used for the immensely popular ID.3, but at the back the roof curves elegantly and runs almost to the tip of the boot lid.
This svelte shape means the car has a drag coefficient of 0.23, which in layman’s terms means it will slip through the air with ease, which should help improve its range.
An estate version could also be available, though not until 2025.
VIDEO
ELECTRIC CAR VIDEOS
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.