One of the recognised barriers for making the switch to electric car ownership is ‘range anxiety’ about how far an EV can travel on a single charge.
However, Volkswagen believes such worries could be a thing of the past – at least for drivers of its new ID.7 Pro S.
In tests conducted at the Nardo Ring test track in southern Italy, the ID.7 Pro S was able to run for 584.7 miles (941 kilometres) without recharging – enough for even the longest one-day journey.
Going the distance
Despite cold weather having an impact on lithium-ion battery performance, Volkswagen conducted its range experiment in December. However, being in Italy did mean temperatures that ranged from 5-15 degrees C.
Instead of using Nardo’s famous high-speed banked bowl, Volkswagen engineers drove the ID.7 Pro S on the 7.7-mile Low Speed Ring. This allows for average rush-hour speeds, ranging between 14mph and 19mph.
The 86kWh battery in the ID.7 Pro S was fully charged before the test. It is compatible with rapid charging devices, allowing charge speeds of up to 200kW.
With an average efficiency of 6.75 miles per kWh during the test run, this led to a distance of 584.7 miles. For comparison, this equates to more than 280mpg in an internal combustion-powered car.
An EV for company car drivers
The result means the ID.7 Pro S beat its own official WLTP-tested battery range of 441 miles by almost a third (32.7 percent).
According to Volkswagen, the potential loss of range anxiety has already translated into customer enquires about the ID.7 fastback and estate.
Martin Sander, member of the board at Volkswagen, said: “We are seeing a positive trend in incoming orders in Europe and are currently selling more ID.7 models than Passat.
“This shows that the ID.7 is a meaningful all-electric addition to the brand’s product portfolio and, in addition to our successful Passat, is also suitable for long-distance drivers and as a company car.”
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