VW expects midsize EV to end range anxiety

FRANKFURT -- Volkswagen brand's midsize electric sedan will have an aerodynamically optimized range and a short recharging time.

The car will be based on the ID Vizzion concept car unveiled at the 2018 Geneva auto show. It's expected to go on sale by 2023.

The model is still in development but VW engineers told Automotive News Europe they are targeting a highly efficient car capable of driving up to 700 km (435 miles) on a single charge under Europe's WLTP testing standard.

The car could be called the ID6 although VW is currently reexamining its system of names for its ID family of electric vehicles and is considering creating a consistent approach across all major global markets.

The production model will offer the same interior space as VW brand's now-discontinued Phaeton luxury sedan. 

Improvements in every key area from lightweight construction to a larger battery that is currently expected to be 84 kilowatt-hours will help to boost the sedan's range.

VW executives say the 700-km range will mean that fears among consumers that EVs cannot be driven as far as gasoline or diesel cars will no longer be an issue.

The long range is expected to come from a major advance in terms of aerodynamics with an extremely low coefficient of drag. Engineers have given the car the codename Aero-B to reflect their focus on its aerodynamics.

According to VW designers, air resistance is the strongest at about 50 kph (31 mph) and above. 

VW Group's Porsche managed to reduce the drag coefficient of its Taycan electric sedan to 0.22 cd, among the sleekest possible value on a production car. However, the drag coefficient is only one factor: another important lever engineers can pull is minimizing the front's cross-sectional area. The combination of the two determine a vehicle's wind resistance.

By the time the production Aero-B debuts, it should be able to recharge to a maximum capacity of 200 kilowatts, meaning 10 minutes at a DC fast charging station could add a further 230 km. 

VW's current plans foresee a vehicle capable of accelerating to 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 5.6 seconds for the all-wheel drive version and a less competitive 8.5 seconds for the rear-wheel-drive version. 

Output levels for the electric drive could reach 200 kilowatts for the rwd version and as much as 300 kW (402 hp) for the awd car, according to a senior VW engineer. 

These metrics would slot it underneath the Tesla Model S, Polestar 2 and next year's Mercedes EQS, and closer to the likely similarly sized BMW i4 due to launch in 2021. 

The production Aero-B will eventually replace the combustion engine Passat and the sportier, more upscale Arteon fastback in Europe.

VW is investing about 1 billion euros in its plant in Emden, Germany, to build the sedan along with the station wagon derivative, based on the ID Space Vizzion concept.

Production of the Passat, currently built in Emden, will be moved to Bratislava, Slovakia, in 2023 where it will be built with its sister model, the Skoda Superb. VW will keep only the Passat station wagon in Europe, discontinuing the sedan version, sources have told ANE.

VW is currently rolling out the ID3 electric hatchback in Europe. The Golf-sized car is the first of the automaker's new generation of battery-powered vehicles based on its MEB platform. The second, the ID4 crossover, will go on sale next year.

VW said on Dec. 14 that it will build a flagship electric car for the VW brand in its Wolfsburg plant. The company offered no details about the car but it will be a different model than the production Aero-B.