941 km without charging

Volkswagen celebrates ID.7 for range record

(Bild: Volkswagen)

A VW ID.7 covered 941 kilometers on a test route before the battery was empty. This is impressive given that the WLTP range is only 709 kilometers. The corresponding press release from the Group suggests something even more spectacular.

The test drive with the new 210 kW/286 PS ID.7 Pro S was completed in December by professional drivers from the Volkswagen Driving Experience on the Low Speed Ring in Nardò in southern Italy at outside temperatures between 5 and 15 degrees. At the end, when the 86 kWh net capacity was used up, an average consumption of 9.2 kWh/100 km was shown on the central display.

(Bild: Volkswagen)

However, the journey was not realistic. The record was driven at a mainly constant speed with an average of 29 km/h. The press release on the subject suggests otherwise. Although it does not refer to an urban journey, it suggests one, as it describes the average speed as follows:

"This corresponds to typical rush hour speeds in large cities. According to the latest "Traffic Index" from navigation specialist TomTom, these are between 22 km/h (Hamburg) and 31 km/h (Amsterdam)." When asked, VW then confirmed that "for the most part" driving was constant. Three drivers took turns at the wheel and each drove for around four hours.

"The 12.5-kilometre circuit enables the targeted simulation of a wide variety of traffic scenarios and long-distance tests," VW describes. In this case, it was not about any traffic scenarios, but about a long-distance test.

There is no question that the VW ID.7 is fundamentally a very efficient vehicle, even one of the longest-range e-cars in its class. The test car was also not technically modified for the test, but came from the current series production of the Emden electric mobility plant.

According to VW, this is primarily due to the strong aerodynamics and the ultra-modern drive system. The Cd value is 0.23 (depending on equipment). The electric motor called "APP550" is integrated into the rear axle and develops a maximum torque of 545 Nm. The WLTP consumption is specified as between 14.0 and 18.6 kWh/100 km. If required, 100 km/h can be reached from a standstill in just 6.6 seconds. With a DC charging capacity of up to 200 kW, the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in a remarkable 26 minutes, and you can "fill up" with energy for up to 244 kilometers in just 10 minutes.

You don't even have to drive at a constant 30 km/h to do this. It is enough to drive cautiously.