During the homologation process, the Chinese regulator unveiled Volkswagen ID.7 Vizzion all-wheel drive (AWD). The ‘electric Passat’ will feature dual motors with a combined power of 308 HP and a slightly bigger curb weight than the RWD variant, which was exposed earlier in April.
The new AWD trim will be powered by a 150 kW (201 HP) rear motor and an 80 kW (107 HP) front motor, providing a maximum output of 230 kW. The top speed is limited to 155 km/h, which is not much for a powerful dual-motor trim. According to homologation fillings, the car will feature a ternary NMC battery (which has better energy density than LFP but contains cobalt, nickel, and manga). The capacity wasn’t revealed yet, but CarNewsChina learned it would be an 84.8 kWh pack. The CLTC range is expected to be around 600 km.
ID.7 Vizzion AWD is a mid-size sedan with five seats and five doors. Dimensions are 4956/1862/1537mm, and the wheelbase is 2965mm. Obviously, this is not different from RWD, but because of the additional front motor, the car’s curb weight is slightly increased to 2,232 kg. For comparison, RWD’s curb weight is 2,122 kg. The car will have 20-inch wheels and offer four different designs.
As all ID. series cars, ID.7 sits on Volkswagen’s EV-dedicated MEB platform. ID.7 Vizzion will be manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen joint venture and is expected to hit the market in 2024. However, the homologation fillings revealed it might be even earlier. Moreover, ID.7 will also be manufactured by another VW Chinese joint venture with SAIC as ID.Next.
VW joint venture in China
Volkswagen operates two joint ventures in China alongside state-owned automakers SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) and FAW (First Automobile Works). Typically, when Volkswagen introduces a new model in China, it is manufactured by both joint ventures. Although the cars produced in different factories have distinct names, their specifications are nearly identical. For instance, the ID.4 and ID.6 models manufactured by SAIC are ID.4 X and ID6 X, while the models produced by FAW are named ID.4 Crozz and ID.6 Crozz.
Price War in China
In January, Volkswagen’s CEO, Oliver Blume, declared that the company would not engage in the ongoing price war and would not respond to price reductions made by other electric vehicle manufacturers. Blume emphasized that Volkswagen aimed to achieve global leadership in the electric vehicle market through profitable growth rather than engaging in price competition with Tesla.
In March, the price of the FAW-manufactured ID.4 Buzz was reduced by 19% to 174,900 yuan (25,000 USD). In response, SAIC offered a discount of 30,000 yuan (4,400 USD) on all its ID. cars, including the ID.3 model, now carrying a price tag of 132,888 yuan (19,300 USD). The automotive market in China is currently witnessing an intense price war, with many manufacturers prioritizing survival over profitability until the situation stabilizes.
Editor’s comment
Due to China being its largest market, Volkswagen consistently had ample production volume to meet the demands of its primary joint ventures. The previous year, the SAIC-VW joint venture celebrated the delivery of its 22 millionth vehicle, while the Volkswagen Group achieved sales of 3.18 million cars in China in 2022. These sales figures accounted for 38% of the company’s global sales.
However, this changed with ID.3, which was manufactured only by SAIC JV, leaving FAW out. With ID.7, VW seems confident to sell enough to satisfy its joint ventures with FAW and SAIC.
