Volkswagen is preparing to unveil the fifth member of its new ID range of electric models.
A seven-seat SUV, which goes under the internal working title ID Lounge, will be revealed at the Shanghai motor show in April. It is being developed as a luxurious range-topping model with exterior and interior dimensions similar to the German firm’s new third-generation Touareg.
Based around the largest version of Volkswagen’s new MEB platform – as used by the ID Buzz MPV – with a wheelbase of 3300mm, the ID Lounge is planned to join the car maker’s line-up in 2021 as a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model X and Nio ES8.
Power for the four-wheel-drive SUV is expected to come from a driveline similar to that featured in the ID Buzz.
It uses two electric motors, one acting on the front wheels and the other powering the rear wheels, delivering a combined system output of 369bhp.
As hinted at by the earlier ID Buzz concept, the most luxurious of Volkswagen’s upcoming ID models is expected to receive a 111kWh lithium ion battery and a range of up to 600km (372 miles).
The ID Lounge is among three electric-powered SUV models that are planned to be introduced by Volkswagen by the end of 2022. It will join two versions of the high-riding ID Crozz, each with its own distinct bodystyle.
The first ID Crozz model to go on sale, in 2021, is described as the more practical, with the second – due in showrooms in 2022 – featuring a coupé-like profile similar in appearance to the earlier ID Crozz concept.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen officials have denied rumours suggesting the first ID model will be known under the name Neo. “The Neo name was an internal working title, but it is not the name the first ID model will be marketed under,” said a source with knowledge of Volkswagen’s new model plans.