Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer is an electric estate car capable of up to 425 miles (officially)
Modest price premium expected
The estate car has very much entered the electric era after Volkswagen unveiled a new estate version of the ID.7 electric fastback saloon, following launches of load-lugging EVs from the likes of MG, Porsche, Vauxhall, Peugeot and BMW.
As with others of its bodystyle, the new VW ID.7 Tourer promises greater practicality without the aerodynamic comprises of a taller SUV, and thus improved efficiency.
What’s more, it is being used to introduce a new larger battery option for the ID.7 line-up, with a pack capable of holding 86kWh for “Pro S” versions that sit above the standard 77kWh Pro. That enables the range-topping estate model to achieve up to 425 miles between charges over a mix of roads, according to the official tests.
Putting the boot in
The ID.7 Tourer looks much the same as the standard ID.7 from the front, with similar dimensions for both the fastback and estate versions, as well as similar noses. But the Tourer gets a longer roofline that elongates the car’s silhouette and increases the size of the luggage area.
Although the figures suggest the increase in space is marginal — the ID.7 Tourer’s boot measures 605 litres, which is only 73 litres more than that of the ID.7 fastback — there’s more to it than on-paper capacity.
Because of the steeper rear window, the stowage volume when the rear seats are lowered and the car is filled to the roof is 128 litres greater in the Tourer, and bulkier items can be stowed behind the second row of seats with the tailgate shut.
It’s also expected that the elongated roofline will mean there’s more headroom for those in the rear seats, although Volkswagen hasn’t yet issued any official statistics on this.
The battery is bigger, too
Details have been announced, however, for the new 86kWh Pro S powertrain that debuts in the ID.7 Tourer. Although it will be offered in both versions of the ID.7, the fastback has previously only been available in 77kWh Pro form, offering an official range of up to 384 miles.
While the Pro S version is expected to increase that by 41 miles to 425 miles, Volkswagen hasn’t yet said how far the ID.7 Tourer Pro will travel on its own 77kWh battery, making an exact comparison between the battery sizes in the same bodystyles impossible at this stage.
However, we expect the ID.7 Pro S fastback to manage around 430 miles on a single charge, so the ID.7 Tourer is thought to be a close match for its marginally more aerodynamic sibling.
Rapid recharging
It’s closely matched in other ways, too. All Pro and Pro S versions of the ID.7 — whether fastback or estate — will get the same 282bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels, and both body shapes offer the same charging capabilities.
The Pro models will charge at 175kW, assuming you use a suitable DC charging point, while the Pro S will be capable of 200kW charging. That means both batteries will recharge from 10- to 80 per cent in less than half an hour at maximum charge speed.
Other similarities can be found inside, where every version of the ID.7 currently released will get much the same cabin, complete with a massive central touchscreen, a small digital instrument display and a standard-fit augmented reality head-up display that projects graphics onto the windscreen. These include navigation arrows that pick out and fix to upcoming turns as you approach.
Will come with Chat GPT
All ID.7 models also benefit from VW’s Ida voice assistant technology, while Chat GPT tech will be integrated in forthcoming models for better access to information and answers from Ida. For data protection reasons, VW says Chat GPT will have no access to vehicle data and will delete questions and answers “immediately”.
In addition, VW will offer a panoramic sunroof with “smart glass” on the fastback and Tourer versions of the ID.7. The transparent roof can be made opaque at the touch of a button (or presumably with the help of Ida) using a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) layer in the glass, which moves to allow light to pass or block it off. The glass is also UV protective and insulated to prevent the car from heating up too much in sunlight and to retain heat in cold weather.
Volkswagen has not announced pricing or specifications for the new ID.7 Tourer but it’s expected to be the same as the current ID.7 fastback in terms of trim levels. That starts with the ID.7 Match, which currently comes in at around £51,500, although the Tourer is anticipated to cost a little more than the fastback. Expect the price for the ID.7 Tourer Pro S, with its larger and more expensive battery, to be suitably north of that.
Related articles
- After reading about the new Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer, you might also like to read our article ‘Will electric car prices go down in 2024?’
- Thinking of getting behind the wheel of a new vehicle this year, as a private or company car driver? Check out 11 of the most exciting new models arriving in 2024
- Did you know there are now nearly 350,000 privately owned electric cars now on UK roads?
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