Volkswagen ID7 production photos apparently revealed by Chinese IP ministry

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Spoiling a an April 18 global unveiling at the Shanghai motor show, photographs apparently showing the production styling of the Volkswagen ID7 electric sedan have surfaced from within the interior ministry patent office of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

China’s intellectual property office has burst the bubble of many a carmaker ahead of a global unveiling thanks to its public display of photographs of trademarks sought in one of the world’s most important new car markets.

This morning it was the forthcoming MG Cyberster electric convertible outed by the ministry; this evening it’s Volkswagen’s new ID7 large EV sedan – a model also known as the ID7 Vizzion in China.

It’s still possible that this is a China-specific variant of ID7 and that the styling revealed this evening won’t be entirely mirrored by the European and US-specification vehicle.

The ID7 revealed in the photographs is a relatively plainly-specified sedan wearing two-tone white and black paint and small wheels perhaps measuring 18 inches in size. A full-width tail light assembly incorporates detailing seen on other ID models.

Volkswagen had already revealed the interior of the ID7 model, which is assembled around a large, centrally-mounted 15-inch landscape touchscreen, while the driver benefits from a small display inset within a broad air-vent.

Key rivals to the ID7 will include the smaller Tesla Model 3, the Hyundai Ioniq 6, the Toyota BZ3 sedan, and the forthcoming BYD Seal.

But unlike those four-doors, Chasing Cars understands that the ID7 will not come to Australia. Volkswagen will instead concentrate on its confirmed plans to launch a range of EVs centred around the ID3 hatch, ID4 and ID5 midsize SUVs, the ID Buzz passenger van, and the ID Buzz Cargo commercial vehicle.

Prototype drives of a digitally-camouflaged ID7 occurred recently with testers praising the sedan’s aerodynamic-driven efficiency and upgraded cabin materials, which are said to be a cut above the ID3, ID4, and ID5.

A more premium approach would allow the ID7 to slot into Volkswagen’s burgeoning battery-electric (BEV) range as an equivalent to the Passat sedan and wagon, which do sit a rung above the Golf and Tiguan in terms of materials and perceived quality.

We understand that Volkswagen will reveal a Europe-centric ID7 station wagon model perhaps towards the end of 2023 for a wider 2024 release on the continent where estates remain a must-have shape.

At launch, the ID7 will be offered in Europe with a choice of two batteries, measuring 77 kWh usable and 85 kWh usable respectively. These packs both feature nickel-cobalt-manganese (NMC) chemistry.

The smaller battery provides a sizable 615 km of range while the big pack will likely allow the ID7 to score a WLTP-rated driving range of about 700 km.

The ID7’s generous range ratings are thanks to the low-slung sedan’s aerodynamic efficiency, which grants it about a 20 percent range improvement over the confirmed-for-Australia ID4 when specified with the 77 kWh battery.