There's a new member of the Volkswagen ID family.
There's a new member of the Volkswagen ID family.
Volkswagen is gearing up to go head-to-head with the likes of Polestar and Tesla with its new ID. Aero, as indicated by the looks of the latest production concept model. The good news is it takes plenty design cues from the ID. Vizzion Concept unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2018. Volkswagen says the newcomer should have a range of up to 385 miles.
The ID. Vizzion Concept was the precursor to the styling of Volkswagen’s current all-electric range, including the ID.3 and ID.4, and the latest looks of the ID. Aero indicate the family resemblances will continue. The Aero will adopt a similar face to the rest of Volkswagen’s all-electric models.
Aerodynamic efficiency is boosted by the low nose, while the styling of the headlights, in tandem with the light bar split by the Volkswagen badge, is similar to that of the ID. Buzz and ID.4. Three individual fog lights have been designed into the side air intakes below the headlights, and the low drag coefficient of 0.23 has been boosted by the thin grille, flush-fitting door handles and a number of other aerodynamic features.
The car’s shape and curved roof is accentuated by the use of a new chrome strip running from the A-pillar to the D-pillar. Running the length of the body is the familiar shoulder-line crease which has become something of a signature trademark of Volkswagen’s electric range. As for the diamond-cut 22-inch alloys, their design is also new.
Intricate rear LED clusters have been incorporated into the rear full-width light bar, while the small diffuser mimics the one seen on the prototype ID. Aero.
Measuring close to 5 metres in length – it’s much longer than either a Polestar 2 or Tesla 3 – it’s actually closer to that of the Tesla Model S. The ID. Aero will house a new 77kWh battery and motor system capable of delivering, according to Volkswagen, a range of 385 miles. With the new MEB platform architecture, recharging will be raised from 150kW to 200kW, meaning a 10-80% top-up in less than 30-minutes.
Performance? There’s the potential for the range to include a hot four-wheel-drive GTX version offering a 0-62mph time of around 5.5 seconds.
Inside the cabin it’s likely there will be the same compact digital dashboard and 10-inch infotainment system as the rest of Volkswagen’s MEB-based models, though there is the probability of a larger 12-inch screen to feature on high-spec editions.
The ID. Aero is scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2023, but how much will it cost? Volkswagen is keeping tight-lipped at the moment, but we can expect the range to start around £45,000.
