Volkswagen ID. Space Vizzion Concept Previews an Aerodynamic Production Car

Silly naming convention aside – what’s with the misplace period and the dual z’s/zeds, Volkswagen? – the Volkswagen ID. Space Vizzion Concept is meant to preview something sleek.

A drag coefficient of 0.24 is nothing to sneeze at, indeed. Had my crappy CAD designs gotten that sort of number in eighth grade, perhaps I’ve have earned an A and would be designing cars instead of writing about them.

Ahem.

An 82-kilowatt hour battery is expected to give the concept, or whatever production car is built off of it, a range of up to 300 miles.

Volkswagen hasn’t shown pics in advance, so this post will be updated later tonight. We do know that this aerodynamic vehicle is promised to offer the utility of an SUV, and it will be built for the European and North American markets. It’s the seventh(!) concept to come out of the ID. concept group, and like the others, it rides on the MEB platform (modular electric drive matrix in English, you don’t want to know in German).

The battery is located in the floor in a space-saving move, and there’s a rear-mounted 275-horsepower motor. A second motor could be fitted to give the vehicle all-wheel drive and a total of 355 horsepower. Key dimensions: 195.2 inches of length, 60.2 inches of height, and 74.7 inches width. Production by 2022 is possible but unconfirmed.

VW claims the lack of need for a radiator or gas engine is what allows the low drag coefficient. Since they aren’t restricted by spatial needs, they can lower the hood and make the design as aerodynamic as possible.

Ducts in the bumper and vents in the hood are functional.

An horizontal panel directs air between the headlights, over the hood, and to the rear, where another similar panel located over the tailgate directs the air under it.

The headlights are “interactive,” whatever that means. There are no door handles – should approach with the key or your smartphone (which can be used as a key) on you, a touchpad lights up. Touch it with the key or phone on you, and open sesame.

The wheels are 22-inch aluminum-alloy units, mounted flush with the wheelarches to keep air flowing. They’re even designed to look like a turbine.

A roof spoiler directs air to both sides of it, to continue the aerodynamic theme.

Open it up, and the entire car lights up. That shows off an interior that includes an “augmented reality” head-up display and a 15.6-inch touchscreen that will appear to “hover” in mid-air.

Right now, there are four seats, but a three-rear-seat configuration is possible. VW is touting the use of sustainable materials inside, including a leather-like replacement that is made from leftover apple juice production.

The all-digital cockpit will allow drivers to assign certain colors to certain screens, and there will be voice-activated controls. Over 20 cubic feet (20.7 to be exact) of cargo space lies behind the rear seats, and the load bed folds up.

The steering wheel has capactive touch panels, and this concept gets a column shifter. In a VW first, the wipers move to the left-hand stalk. A light mounted in the A-pillar provides key info to the driver.

The 0-60 sprint is expected to take five seconds and the top speed is electronically limited to 109 mph. Charge time to 80 percent on 82 kWh is about 30 minutes.

[Images © 2019 Tim Healey/The Truth About Cars]