VW unveils EV wagon with 700km range
Volkswagen’s plans to sell a million EVs a year by 2025 have been boosted by the announcement of a new all-electric station wagon with a claimed 700km range.
The wagon, which will look something like the incredible yet awkwardly named ID. Space Vizzion concept car, revealed in 2019, has been confirmed for production from 2023 by VW CEO Ralf Brandstätter.
The new EV wagon – proof, perhaps, that station wagons aren’t dead yet, despite their sales being eaten up by SUVs – is one of 70 electric models set to be released by the giant Volkswagen Group, which includes Skoda, Audi, Porsche and the soon to be all-electric Bentley.
News of the wagon was announced, unusually, via LinkedIn, where Brandstätter shared a picture of himself with a prototype of the EV wagon, which is known internally as “Aero B”, and which he calls a “range hero”.
“The Aero B is our interpretation of sustainable premium,” Brandstätter wrote in his post.
“It scores in all dimensions of electrical performance: thanks to our continuously improved MEB, it can be charged super-fast and offers a bit more of everything: more space, more range, more acceleration and more top speed.”
While the original Space Vizzion concept was tipped to have a 590km range, VW is now claiming it will be capable of 700km, far outstripping the company’s own Audi e tron, for example, hence the term “range hero”.
“It impresses with high-quality interiors and a lot of space: classy and spacious like a Phaeton (the company’s uber-luxury sedan), along with huge trunk volume. And with 700km a real range hero,” he added.
“A feast for the senses – and for all tech and design fans!”
It is unclear whether the wagon will make it to Australian shores, considering our preference for larger, SUV-style body shapes. The wagon will be joining VW EVs including the ID.3 hatch and the ID.4 SUV, as well as the enticing EV Kombi van, which has been promised for 2022.
So far we believe the ID.4 will be the first EV from Volkswagen to reach these shores, some time in 2022.
