Volkswagen Says I.D. Roomzz Available Globally in 2021
Right now, Volkswagen’s electric womb is holding onto a full litter. While we’ve long assumed that only a limited selection of its offspring will be birthed into the world to take their place within its I.D. sub-brand, it’s beginning to look as though most will make the cut. Its sixth prospective offspring, the I.D. Roomzz, was teased earlier this month — coming across as your standard concept EV. However, the vehicle that’s being shown off at Auto Shanghai is much closer to being production-ready than we had guessed.
The crossover (minivan?) the automaker is displaying in Asia has two rows of bucket seats, providing space for just four, but Volkswagen is saying the production version will have three rows and could furnish up to eight occupants if bench seats are optioned for the second and third rows. Access is granted through a full set of sliding doors, which we doubt will make it into production. But it’s okay to dream.
Around the size of an Atlas, the Roomzz gets a 82.0-kWh battery pack which the manufacturer claims should provide a driving range close to 280 miles (European WLTP cycle). Dual electric motors provide 225 kilowatts (301 hp) of juice and all-wheel traction, contributing to the proposed 0-100kph (62 mph) time of 6.6 seconds. Not bad for a something that’s supposed to seat eight. But, like most single-gear electrics, the top speed is decidedly less impressive at 112 mph — though nobody sane expected this thing to be targeting any land speed records.
Volkswagen is promising fully autonomous operation, which encouraged the Roomzz reconfigurable “lounge-like atmosphere.” It’s open and allows occupants to swivel their “AppleSkin” (vegan leather) seats for better communication while the vehicle pilots itself down the road. However, that all sounds slightly ambitious for its proposed worldwide release in 2021.
We figure VW will deliver something a little more contemporary, nixing the front set of sliding doors (at least), that minimalist interior, VR-inspired navigation, and fully autonomous driving mode, come production time. There might even be a prototype in the works already, as this concept seems a little more fleshed out than we anticipated. The design is right in line with the rest of the I.D. vehicles and the proportions are fairly realistic. VW just needs to give the interior some more buttons and seats, slap on some side mirrors/door handles, get the necessary certifications and figure out an MSRP.
As a global vehicle, most are expecting the I.D. Roomzz to be assembled in China and somewhere that will ensure its availability within the United States. Chattanooga, TN (which is already responsible for the Atlas) seems like a likely candidate as VW has already earmarked it for North American EV production.
[Images: Volkswagen]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Whoever has been naming VW's vehicles should be fired. Tiguan? Tuareg? Roomz?
Chinese industrial spies have already stolen the plans and are manufacturing and selling counterfeit Roomzz. Volkswagen has accused them of selling fake IDs.