VW announces the ID. Space Vizzion

VW has released the first renderings of the ID. Space Vizzion and will officially present the concept on November 19 ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show. The battery-electric station wagon is to be presented as a production vehicle at the end of 2021. Also, VW has started pre-production at its new plant in China, in Anting, near Shanghai, and back in Germany, the Group’s Braunschweig plant ramps up batteries production.

But firstly to the ID. Space Vizzion: VW has indicated a WLTP range of up to 590 kilometres for what is now the seventh concept vehicle in the ID series. The renderings show a powerful front, the curved side lines end in a station wagon-like rear, but not as angular and maximised for loading volume as a Passat Estate. The rear window is slightly slanted, comparable to a BMW 5 Series Touring.

VW avoids describing the ID. Space Vizzion as a station wagon – The ID. Space Vizzion is supposed to define a new electric vehicle segment – it is “a wagon of tomorrow that combines the aerodynamic characteristics of a Gran Turismo with the spaciousness of an SUV”.

“So far, with our ID. family, we have shown what is possible with electric vehicles in each known car category. With the ID. Space Vizzion we create a new, fully electric segment,” said Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design.

VW has not given any other technical data besides the range. Like all ID models, the Vizzion is based on the MEB platform. The modular system allows battery sizes of up to 111 kWh, but the Space Vizzion’s range of up to 590 kilometres is not only thanks to the potential battery size – this also comes from the vehicle’s low air resistance. According to VW, the wind flows through the front and roof sections of the car, thus improving its aerodynamic properties.

VW wants to focus on sustainable raw materials in the interior. According to the press release, a material called “AppleSkin” is to be used instead of leather – an artificial leather for which residual materials from apple juice production. The series version will be introduced at the end of 2021 and will be available in various versions in North America, Europe and China. By the time the concept comes out on the market, the Wolfsburg production network will increasingly be geared to the MEB.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen has also announced that pre-production has started in the first factory in China, and will focus entirely on electromobility. The SAIC Volkswagen factory in Anting near Shanghai is scheduled to start series production in October 2020.

VW has not yet announced which model is being produced in Anting, only that: “The first phase of pre-production in Anting starts now with a China-specific ID. model of the Volkswagen Brand”. Later, several MEB models for various Group brands are to be produced there, and the talk is of 15 model series by 2025.

“The Volkswagen Group projects a total volume of 22 million all-electric cars worldwide by 2028, with more than 50 per cent of that from China. The country plays a crucial part in our electrification strategy, which will pave the way to Volkswagen’s goal of becoming net carbon-neutral by 2050,” said VW CEO Herbert Diess at the event in Anting. Not only clean electric cars contribute to the strategy, but also the plant itself. Land use has been greatly improved, which means that far less land and built-up area is required than in a standard factory. In addition, Anting is doing its best to integrate environmentally friendly and intelligent factory technologies for VW in China.

Back in Germany, VW is also adapting their supply chains for electric cars in Europe. At the Braunschweig components plant, the Group is currently ramping up production of battery systems. Around 300 jobs will be created at the division for battery systems. Once the expansion is complete, up to 500,000 battery systems will be produced there every year – not only for the ID.3, but also for other MEB models.

“The new production facility for battery systems is a further milestone in securing the future of employment and the location. The successful start of production is a great team effort of development, planning, plant construction and production,” says Uwe Fritsch, Chairman of the Works Council of Volkswagen Group Components Braunschweig. VW already announced during the summer which plants would supply the components for the ID.3.

volkswagen-newsroom.com (ID. Space Vizzion), volkswagen-newsroom.com (China), volkswagen-newsroom.com (Components in German)