Three SUVs, a hatchback, and a minivan – that's what Volkswagen is currently offering for its purely electric ID. lineup. A sedan will follow in the second half of 2023, initially in China, but in the meantime, there's still some testing that needs to be done. A near-production prototype has been stalked roaming the streets of Germany while wearing some clever camouflage to trick the untrained eye. Thankfully, we know better.
With rumors about the Passat sedan going the way of the dodo for a wagon-only next-generation model, the ID. Aero could be touted as its indirect replacement. It won't be the first electric sedan from Volkswagen considering the e-Lavida has been around in China for a while, but it'll be the first zero-emissions saloon from the VW core brand with global availability. To get an idea about its design, look no further than the recently unveiled ID. Aero concept, which itself is an evolution of the 2018 ID. Vizzion.
New Volkswagen Aero B Spy Shots
The prototype seen here looks awkward because of its faux design cues after applying stickers on the headlights, grille, and taillights to make it look like a Jetta. Hilariously fake exhaust tips want to give the illusion of a test vehicle equipped with a combustion engine. The jury is still out on whether it'll be a traditional sedan or a more practical liftback, but we're hoping it's the latter.
We do know it is going to be a fairly large car as the updated concept was almost five meters (16 feet) long. A wagon derivative seems like an educated guess taking into account VW did show the ID. Space Vizzion in late 2019.
2022 VW ID. Aero concept
From the few specs released by VW about the ID. Aero, we do know the concept sat on 22-inch wheels and had a sleek body with a relatively low drag coefficient of 0.23. The European model will be good for 620 kilometers (385 miles) of range in the WLTP cycle, but as it's usually the case, the equivalent EPA rating for the US-spec model is going to be smaller.
Another piece of the puzzle we're currently missing is the official name of the production model. Logic tells us it'll be called ID.7 since VW is already selling an ID.6 three-row SUV in China where Audi has an equivalent Q5 E-Tron. A potential ID.8 has already been indirectly announced since plans for an Atlas-sized electric SUV were disclosed a year ago.
At the other end of the electric lineup, VW is plotting an entry-level EV for a 2025 release to replace the e-up! and carry a tentative asking price of €20,000.
