Practical and EV meet as Volkswagen finally debuts ID.7 Tourer

Having remained tight-lipped since releasing the official teaser images in October last year, Volkswagen, overnight, debuted its first dedicated electric estate in the shape of the ID.7 Tourer.

Same but different

Wolfsburg’s first station wagon model not to use the long serving Variant moniker, the ID.7 Tourer replaces the discontinued Arteon and Arteon Shooting Brake in response to its phasing-out of slow-selling models to reduce costs, while also intensifying its roll-out of electric vehicles.

ALSO READ: Volkswagen starts teasing ID.7 Tourer as first EV estate

The EV equivalent of the new estate-only Passat, the ID.7 Tourer continues to ride on the electric vehicle focused MEB platform, but with the obvious station wagon body from the B-pillar backwards.

Replacing the sedan’s sloping coupe-inspired roofline, the Tourer retains the same dimensions, but with a luggage hold now capable of accommodating 605-litres, 73-litres more, with the rear seats in use.

Dropping the second row however frees-up a total of 1 714-litres versus the sedan’s 1 586-litres. In addition, Volkswagen claims the flat floor can house items nearly two metres long behind the tailgate.

Spec and tech

Elsewhere, the ID.7 Tourer is unchanged from the sedan and in addition to the frontal design remaining unchanged, plus buyers having the option of alloy sizes up to 21-inches, both the Matrix I.Q. LED headlights with Dynamic Cornering Assist and illuminated rear Volkswagen logo have been kept as options.

Inside, little has also changed, but while the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, the 15-inch infotainment system and optional augmented reality Head-Up Display are included, the traditional panoramic sunroof has been replaced by a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal setup.

Similar in principle to what Renault uses on the all-electric Scenic E-Tech, the arrangement involves the roof becoming opaque or transparent with a flick of a switch or via the voice activation system using crystal layers over the glass in combination with electrical assistance.

An option that nullifies the need for a roller blind, the roof also radiates heat thanks to what Volkswagen calls smart glass in order to “create a high level of comfort for the passengers, especially in winter”.

EV power of two

Its specification level also being identical to the sedan, up front, the ID.7 Tourer can be in two variants; the Pro that makes 210kW/550Nm from a 77-kWh battery pack, and the Pro S that develops the same outputs, but delivered by means of a larger 86-kWh battery pack.

While the range for the former wasn’t revealed, the flagship will travel a claimed 685 km between trips to the plug, while supporting DC charging up to 200 kW versus 175 kW.

ID.4 for us but…

On-sale in Europe later this year, with production taking place at the former Passat plant in Emden, Germany, the ID.7 Tourer, as with the sedan, won’t be coming to South Africa as a result of not only charging infrastructure, but also the local market’s preference for SUVs and crossovers instead of estates.

As a result, the marque will resume its electric vehicle pilot plan for South Africa later this year with the ID.4, which will not be sold as its first mass market EV for now.

NOW READ: Volkswagen ID.7 revealed as fully electric Passat replacement