Volkswagen is expanding its electric vehicle family with two versions of a production-ready, three-row, seven-passenger crossover that it will begin producing in China with two joint-venture partners.
A version of the Atlas-sized ID6 — the latest in the automaker’s global lineup of EVs, following the debut last year of the Golf-sized ID3 and Tiguan-sized ID4 — is likely to be added to VW’s U.S. lineup and built locally, but not for several years. The ID6 variants, VW brand’s biggest production EVs to date, were unveiled on the eve of press previews for the Shanghai auto show.
The ID6 X and ID6 Crozz, each built by one the Chinese joint ventures, are expected to play a crucial role in China, where vehicles large enough to carry members of an extended family are popular.
The ID6, based on the automaker’s MEB modular electric platform, will be available in China in one of four configurations, with a range of up to 365 miles and up to 342 hp, VW said. The vehicles have available batteries of either 58 or 77 kilowatt-hours, VW added.
The brand is targeting a market share of over 50 percent for full-electric vehicles in China and the U.S. by 2030, the company said in March. It targets at least 70 percent of vehicles sold in Europe being electric by then.
The Chinese versions of the ID6 come without any buttons or switches, instead using a 12-inch touch screen display and the brand’s Hello ID voice-control system. VW says that an augmented reality head-up display is optional. It overlays turn arrows from the navigation system onto the correct lane.
VW says the ID6 will be produced at plants in Anting and Foshang, China.