Author: Knight Errant
Do you remember who was the first joint venture of China’s auto industry to produce sedans?
Whether you know the answer or not, I believe you understand my point as soon as you see the picture above. It was the once-famous Santana that launched the brilliant start of Volkswagen in the Chinese sedan market, leading countless Volkswagen sedans that followed to become the leader in the Chinese market, and laying a strong foundation for Volkswagen’s leading position in joint venture auto brands.
However, the cruel reality is just like the indifferent turning point of this manuscript. I press Enter, and the world has changed. Today’s Volkswagen is no longer the brand that can be dominant, even the new-generation consumers have the potential impression of “if nothing works, just buy Volkswagen”. For Volkswagen, this is obviously not a good thing. If there is still ambition, it must respond.
It’s not difficult to put your bets somewhere. The electric power is the biggest competitive ground in the future automobile market. The MEB pure electric platform that emerged with the times is Volkswagen’s most powerful military factory. The continuously enriched models of the ID. family are Volkswagen’s most tangible “weapons and ammunition”.
After the release of ID.3, ID.4, ID.6, ID.Buzz, and other models, many people are curious about when the brand that relied on sedans will launch a sedan product with the Volkswagen logo on the MEB platform.
On the evening of June 27th, the global debut of the Volkswagen’s new concept car, ID. AERO, revealed the standard answer to this question. Developed based on the MEB platform, positioned as a pure electric mid-size sedan, the name AERO has a rich meaning: AE represents aerodynamics, while RO represents spaciousness.
It is not difficult to see that the ID. AERO has a distinct family-oriented design. The full-length LED daytime running lights, illuminated central emblem logo, and familiar two-sided LED headlight design are all elements that are extremely familiar. It must be admitted that Volkswagen’s “nesting doll” design skills have only increased rather than decreased. However, one thing to note is that the new car’s bumper is not the usual full-closed grille, but is equipped with a honeycomb-shaped design, which is closer to the design of a gasoline-powered car and gives it a hint of the electric GTI’s appearance.
Despite the fact that many people now view the ID. AERO as the pure electric Passat’s positioning, the car’s side body lines are clearly heading towards the direction of a coupe. If one must compare it with an existing Volkswagen model, personally it feels more like a pure electric CC. With a body size of 4975/1879/1528mm, a wheelbase of 2966mm, and data that is similar to a stable B+ class sedan, the spacious interior space represented by the RO in the car model name should be a solid selling point.
Underneath the smooth sloping back and strong waistline, there are concealed door handles and 22-inch low-drag wheels. According to the official 0.23 drag coefficient, this type of design can indeed produce practical results, and we can no longer ridicule them as “showy” designs.
The rear of the ID. AERO is extremely simple and all the details are hidden inside the full-length taillights. The large number of diamond-shaped light units can not only stimulate a strong design sense but also create a honeycomb-like effect that echoes the front face. Even under the rear bumper, there is a diffuser-style design and a red decorative strip, which can increase the visual sense of motion to a certain extent.
Great news! Volkswagen has finally made innovations in the interior design of ID. AERO. Unlike the current ID. models, the cabin of ID. AERO will become more refreshing and concise. Especially, the instrument panel previously placed on the steering wheel is now embedded in the center console, making it more comfortable to look at. Meanwhile, the new style steering wheel also looks very technical. Of course, the central large screen and HUD will not be absent. They will also take on more functions and information display.
Taking this opportunity, Volkswagen has also released IQ. Volkswagen Technology for the first time, which includes multiple functions such as IQ. Parking Butler (automatic parking), IQ. Voice Assistant (voice control system), IQ.360 Panoramic View (panoramic image), and IQ. Light elves, all of which will be installed on ID.AERO and future ID. family models. However, it is true that joint ventures are already falling behind in the field of intelligence compared to our own new forces in the automotive industry. Looking at the IQ. Volkswagen Technology, there is not much eye-catching strength. Moreover, when it is really applied to specific car models, it may be left behind by others. So Volkswagen, you still have a long way to go.
As for power and endurance, the international version of ID. AERO will be equipped with a 77 kWh battery pack, which can achieve a range of up to 620 km under the WLTP cycle and support a maximum DC charging power of 150 kW. As for whether it will be equipped with an 83.4 kWh battery pack like ID.4 and ID.6 in the future Chinese market, it is still unknown. If it is equipped, then ID. AERO’s endurance is expected to perform even better.
With the official debut of the ID. AERO concept car, the next step for Volkswagen is to put it into production. The official release date is in early 2023. The mass-produced model will be launched first in the Chinese market in the second half of the year, followed by Europe, North America, and other markets.From the available information, ID.AERO is targeting the market of medium to large-sized pure electric sedans currently dominated by new forces like NIO ET7, GAC Aion V, and Xpeng L7. For Volkswagen, this is both an opportunity and a challenge. As Volkswagen is no longer the king of the sedan market, how can it find the way back? One year later, when ID.AERO starts mass production, will it have a chance to succeed? Let us wait and see.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.