Volkswagen’s upcoming electric mid-sized sedan has been spied testing.
Previewed by the ID. Vizzion concept, and in wagon form as the ID. Space Vizzion, this model was originally rumoured to wear the ID.6 nameplate.
Now that’s been used on a large, Chinese-market electric SUV, so this upcoming Volkswagen could be called Aero B. No, not the toothbrush brand.
Like the rest of the ID. clan, it rides on Volkswagen’s electric MEB architecture and will likely offer a choice of single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive variants.
A sporty GTX is also a possibility.
There’s some light camouflage on this prototype, intended to dupe observers into thinking this is a Chinese-market Passat by disguising the shape of the lights and presenting a fake grille and air intakes.
Look closely, however, and you can see the telltale signs this is an electric Volkswagen.
The door handles are flush, while there’s an inset bonnet and rising fenders that’s more ID.3 than Passat.
There are also short overhangs front and rear, with a swooping fastback silhouette and a stubby rear deck.
Expect to see similar outputs to the mid-sized ID.4 SUV.
Regular versions of the ID.4 feature a single 150kW electric motor driving the rear wheels, while the GTX has a dual motor setup delivering a total of 220kW to all four wheels.
With the standard 77kWh battery pack, the ID.4 GTX has a claimed range of 480km under WLTP testing. That’s a decrease of 20km compared to the rear-wheel drive model with the same battery.
The Aero B would likely offer superior range due to its lower, sleeker body.
It’ll be sold alongside the next-generation Passat, which is expected to lose its sedan body style.
Instead, the sedan could be replaced by a fastback or not replaced at all, with a wagon – the most popular Passat body style on the continent – set to continue.
Volkswagen has confirmed it’s moving production of the Passat from Emden, Germany where it’s been built for 36 years to its Bratislava, Slovakia plant where it’ll be built alongside its Skoda Superb cousin.
Also reportedly on the chopping block next to the Passat sedan is the Arteon, which may not survive beyond its current generation.
ID. Vizzion concept 
ID. Space Vizzion concept
The Aero B is expected to sit below an upcoming flagship for the Volkswagen brand, currently referred to as Project Trinity.
Volkswagen will offer a new electric flagship sedan, codenamed Trinity, which it has teased in silhouette.
It’s set to enter production in Wolfsburg, Germany in 2026.
It’ll offer Level 2+ autonomous driving technology at launch but has been engineered to be Level 4 capable.
Project Trinity
Mr Diess says with Trinity, it’ll bring technology from Audi’s Project Artemis into the volume segment.
According to Volkswagen brand head Ralf Brandstätter, Project Trinity will feature a “highly efficient flat seat concept with an iconic design”. He referred to it as a “lighthouse project, a software dream car”.
There’ll also be an Atlas/Teramont-sized large electric SUV atop the range called the ID.8.
