Driving desire is a serious business
The Volkswagen ID.7* is helping businesses plug into the future, writes James Foxall
*Model shown throughout is Volkswagen ID.7 Pro Match with optional alloy wheels, Interior Pack Plus and Exterior Pack Plus.
Choosing to run an electric vehicle with their currently beneficial tax breaks for drivers makes perfect sense for many businesses. But with increasing numbers coming to the market, picking the right EV can be a challenge. And that’s where the Volkswagen ID.7 comes in. The new all-electric executive model has been designed with business in mind. It has a sleek fastback shape that looks smart and purposeful. The spacious interior is packed with next-generation cockpit technology to make life for the business driver as easy and comfortable as possible. And it has an impressively long range.
How far a car can go between charges is vital for usability and efficiency. With its 77kWh battery, the official WLTP range of the ID.7 Pro is up to 383-384 miles on a full charge, according to the official test figures, depending on the trim*. Equally importantly, the ID.7 has been designed to charge efficiently. With a rapid 175KW DC charger, it can take just 10 minutes for 126 miles of driving (WLTP) to return to the battery. With a charging capacity of up to 175kW, an ID.7 battery that’s down at 5 per cent charge could be restored to 80 per cent in around 28 minutes**. This is helped by the ID.7’s clever electronics. These bring the battery to its optimum temperature ahead of a charging stop, enabling it to be charged at the maximum power. The results contribute to its efficient charging time.
ID.7 Pro in numbers
Maximum power 286ps
Maximum torque 402lb ft
Maximum speed 112mph
Range 384 miles*
Battery energy
77kWh
Acceleration
0-62mph 6.5 seconds
13kWh/100km (62 miles)
Energy consumption
5p per mile (at 24.5p per kWh†) vs 17p per mile for a 40mpg petrol car
Energy cost per mile
532 litres (with rear seats upright)
Boot size
(April 2024 petrol prices‡)
† Source: Ofgem energy price cap ‡ Source: RAC Fuel Watch
*Test data obtained under standardised conditions after the battery had been fully charged (to 100%). For comparison purposes. Figures may not reflect real life driving results, which depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles, speed, vehicle and battery age and vehicle load.
In the ID.7 Pro Match, the batteries propel a new 286 horsepower motor that has an impressive 402 lb ft of torque. This is the most powerful and highest torque motor yet fitted to a Volkswagen ID model and makes acceleration feel totally effortless. The power unit combines with the ID.7’s design to make it a comfortable long-distance tourer. Double-glazed side windows keep outside noise where it belongs: outside. The car’s long wheelbase with the battery integrated into the floor gives a low centre of gravity that adds to the car’s agility and poise on the road. While it might be enjoyable to drive, the ID.7 is still comfortable, practical and versatile. The interior has been designed from scratch and, thanks to its long wheelbase, it has five spacious seats with ample room for three in the back. Even with those rear seats in place, the boot offers a very generous 532-litre capacity. And it’s accessible through a tailgate, which makes loading simple. When the rear seat backs are folded forwards, an enormous 1,586 litres of space is available.
ID.7 Pro Match
Standard equipment highlights
19in Hudson alloy wheels
Metallic paint
LED matrix headlights with dynamic range control and cornering
Privacy glass on rear side and back windows
Power tailgate with sensor opening
Keyless entry
and starting
Climatronic three-zone air conditioning
Dynamic road sign display
Adaptive cruise control
360-degree parking camera
Augmented reality head-up display
Wireless smartphone charging
15-inch infotainment touchscreen
Power front seat adjustment
Ambient lighting with 30 colours
Practical it might be but the ID.7’s interior is also immensely stylish with a suite of materials and clever design that ooze quality and give a distinctly premium ambiance. The ID.7 is the first Volkswagen to feature the new ‘Smart Glass’ technology. This feature, available with the optional panoramic sunroof, can switch between transparent and opaque using a button that controls an electronic layer within the glass. As stunning as this is, the highlight of the interior is undoubtedly the 15in infotainment screen. The restructured graphic interface and revised menu navigation aim to make using its many functions as intuitive and customisable as possible.
Thanks to its size there’s plenty of space on the screen. This gives two permanently visible strips along the bottom and top. The bottom strip controls the ventilation. The top one features five keys, which users can personalise to give direct access to their favourite functions. This enables quick switching between apps. The home screen is accessed through a button that’s permanently displayed on the bottom strip. It features the most important apps and again can be individually configured with adaptable layouts and pages. The simple and clear ventilation controls operate the ID.7’s smart air vents. These have electronically controlled vertical and horizontal motors that automatically open and close the vents to distribute the air as quickly and efficiently as possible around the cockpit. Front seat passengers can enjoy the optional and award-winning ergoActive seats with a new pressure point massage function. Rear-seat passengers aren’t left out: they have their own controls for the three-zone air conditioning.
At its launch in January 2024, the ID.7 was the only vehicle in its class to feature augmented-reality head-up display as standard. The system works alongside the smaller traditional instrument display by projecting journey-relevant information into the driver’s field of vision on the road ahead. The head-up display blends information such as speed and lane markings, and distance warnings from the navigation system. In the augmented-reality area, there’s a new lane-level navigation feature. This helps to guide the driver into the correct lane for a motorway junction at an early stage by projecting arrows into the lane ahead. In addition, the ID.7 is packed with an array of cutting-edge systems to make driving this very safe car even safer.
Park Assist Plus takes over control of the acceleration, braking and steering for parking parallel or in bays. And it now has a memory function so the car will offer to park when the driver reaches a saved location, perhaps at work or home.
Enhanced Travel Assist makes lane changing on multi-lane motorways easier and safer. When the function is active, all the driver has to do is flick the left or right indicator and the car takes care of lane changing. It can also predict upcoming corners and suggest an appropriate speed if the car is travelling too fast to make the bend safely.
Volkswagen’s online voice assistant IDA is a key feature of the ID.7 too. With its broad range of functions, you can use it to change the cockpit’s temperature and set the navigation. It can even answer questions using cloud-based data.
It’s this overall breadth of talent that has already seen the ID.7 voted German Car of the Year. And the ID.7 line-up is only going to become more attractive. Later in 2024, an ID.7 Pro S model will join the range. This will have an even bigger 86kWh battery and be capable of up to 435 miles (internal Volkswagen test value) between charges***. A more sport-oriented GTX model will also follow, plus the practical and stylish ID.7 Tourer with an estate body style is also available to order now, increasing the ID.7’s appeal to businesses even further.
Book a test drive of the stunning new VW ID.7,
find a retailer near you, or book a demo vehicle for your business.
*Test data obtained under standardised conditions after the battery had been fully charged (to 100%). For comparison purposes. Figures may not reflect real life driving results, which depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles, speed, vehicle and battery age and vehicle load. ** The ID.7 charges from 10-80% in as little as 28 minutes, when using a 175kWh charger. Test data obtained under standardised conditions for comparison purposes. Actual charging times will vary depending on various factors, including the trimline and options you choose, the type of charger used, the level of charge in the battery, the age, type, condition and temperature of the charger and the battery, the power supply to and usage of the charger, ambient temperature at the point of use and other environmental factors. Charging time will be longer in cold weather. Charging times will also be affected by the charging curve (for example, once charging passes 80%, charging will slow to protect the battery's longevity) and will be longer if battery temperature activates safeguarding technology. The availability of 175kWh chargers is currently limited in the UK. They are mainly located on selected motorways and major arterial routes. These chargers are not currently available in Northern Ireland and numbers are low in Scotland, Wales and rural parts of England. Please see We Charge | VW Charging Stations | Volkswagen UK for further details. *** Internal Volkswagen test value obtained once the battery had been fully charged (to 100%), for comparison purposes only and may not reflect real life driving results. Official WLTP test values not yet available. Please contact your local retailer for further information.
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Produced by Telegraph Media Group Writer: James Foxall | Project manager: Fanni Szentivanyi | Commissioning editor: Jim Bruce-Ball | Sub-editor: Tim Cumming | Designer: Kate Degel | Web editor: James Nash
