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Volkswagen is thinking expansively about EVs. The new electric lineup already includes the ID.3 hatchback (available in Europe) and the ID.4, which is sold in the U.S. and will be getting a higher-performance GTX variant. We know the ID. Buzz van will go on sale in the U.S. in 2023. And now here comes the ID.6, a three-row electric crossover SUV based on the I.D. Roomzz concept. Unveiled in connection with the Shanghai auto show this weekend, the ID.6 will be sold in two versions in China, the ID.6 Crozz and the ID.6 X.
There will be a total of four configurations of the ID.6 in China, with the largest having seats for seven people. Two battery capacities will be available, 58.0 kWh and 77.0 kWh. On China's NEDC testing cycle, the new VWs will have a claimed total driving range of up to 270 or 365 miles. In 4Motion guise with two electric motors, the ID.6 is claimed to be able to go from zero 62 mph in 6.6 seconds, and the EV will have a top speed of 99 mph.
Like other ID models, the ID.6 rides on VW's MEB platform, an EV-only solution the company is using to transform itself into an electric mobility company. What’s different is that the ID.6 is the first ID vehicle that was developed specifically for a particular market, and VW said the ID.6 put the "needs and wishes of Chinese customers" top of mind when it comes to size, functionality, and user experience. The ID.6 will be the largest member of the ID family with a total length of 192 inches, 11.8 inches more than the ID.4. A panoramic glass roof and optional sunroof just add to the sense of roominess. When compared with the U.S.-market Atlas, it's on a similar-size wheelbase, but the Atlas is about six inches longer and wider and four inches taller than the ID.6.
Counting the ID.6, VW will have launched eight ID. models in China by the end of 2023. Olaf Gutowksi, vice president of sales, marketing, and after sales for Volkswagen China Passenger Cars, said the brand needs this kind of variety to keep pace with the "fierce" competition from domestic brands like Nio and Xpeng in the EV space.
VW’s Chinese EVs also need to have more whiz-bang technology features to attract attention, Gutowski said. The ID.6 will have the bare minimum number of physical buttons and switches on the dash, and drivers will interact with the car using a 12.0-inch touchscreen and VW's "Hello ID" voice-control system. "One difference in our ID. models in China is that they will have a high level of computing power and a robust software platform in order to provide customers with the necessary digital and connectivity services," Gutowski said in a statement. "For instance, Chinese ID.6 customers can check for updates on air quality or traffic violation tickets."
So the ID.6 will initially go on sale in China, but Automotive News said, quoting an unnamed VW spokesperson, that it is "conceivable" a version of this EV will come to the U.S. We expect the U.S. to get a three-row EV SUV in the Atlas size range from Volkswagen before long, which is likely to be built here as well.
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