By Gerry Murphy

The pros and cons of electric vehicles are well documented and obviously some will stand up to scrutiny better than others. While sales of EVs are struggling at the moment we are still convinced – like it or not – that they are here to stay.

From any observation of the cars on the road, Volkswagen is up there as one of the leading brands when it comes to electric. The popularity of their mid-range ID.4 is plain to see, and although it might not be to everyone’s taste, there is no denying that it has a strong following.

Further up the scale in Volkswagen’s catalogue we get the ID.7 and I have been in its company for a full week recently. To be honest, given my experience with Volkswagen’s smaller offerings, it was a bit of a surprise in that it was a whole lot smoother than I was expecting.

This is a big car and it looks wonderful. It doesn’t try to be overly quirky like many EVs. Also, it has true Volkswagen design features that add to the overall eye-catching image. You might think that it is a replacement for the Passat, but it is bigger and more in line with the size and the Aerteon.

The Volkswagen ID.7 has a length of 4,961 mm, a height of 1,538mm, a width of 1,862mm without the exterior mirrors, and a measurement of 2,141mm putting it right into the executive class. It has a Gross Vehicle Weight of 2,630kg which makes it quite heavy and that will dictate how the car functions in terms of range.

Those dimensions can be sensed on the inside with oceans of leg room and a gigantic boot of 532 litres with all the seats in place. That expands to a massive 1,586 litres when the back seats are folded, making it a hugely practical mode of transport.

Volkswagen promises 625km range from a full charge, which you will not be surprised to hear is not really attainable in the real world. Off the motorways, it is quite reasonable and will give you get you over 550kms.

On the motorways at the speed limit that drops radically to a little over 450km. Mix the two types of travel and you will probably come in at about 500km. From a standing start to 100km/h can be achieved in 6.5 seconds.

On the road there is a certain serenity about the ride and the road holding of the ID. 7. The feedback coming through the chassis and up through the lovely seats is very reassuring, and while the steering is a bit on the light side, you never feel you have no control at all times.

With only one grade Pro Plus in the range, the price will be even more important and additional specified goodies added you will bump the price up if you want to.

The base price is €56,490, which is not too strong when you measure up what you get and compare it to other EVs of comparable competence.

Pictured: The new Volkswagen ID.7.