Volkswagen has introduced the VW I.D. Vizzion concept, the fourth and the flagship model of the I.D. family. The new concept car was unveiled at the Volkswagen Group Night Genf (2018) event yesterday evening.
Back in October 2015, less than a month after the dieselgate scandal broke out, Volkswagen took strategic decisions which included having a slew of new electrified cars in the line-up. One of these electrified cars was the next-gen VW Phaeton with pure electric drive. That is the model the VW I.D. Vizzion is previewing.
The VW I.D. Vizzion shows the future of individual mobility: electric, fully automatic and effortless. The beautifully designed saloon will launch as an All-New Electric Architecture vehicle with conventional controls; in the next technology stage as an autonomously driving car operated by voice, gestures and automated reality with a HoloLens. The New Electric Architecture will support a variety of new EVs, from compact-sized to full-sized ones and even sophisticated large saloons.
The VW I.D. Vizzion concept is 5,163 mm long, 1,947 wide and 1,506 mm tall, and has a 3,100 mm wheelbase. It uses an electric all-wheel drive system with two electric motors, a 75 kW unit on the front axle and a 150 kW unit on the rear axle. Both electric motors together generate a system power of 225 kW. A 111 kWh Lithium-Ion battery, housed in the vehicle floor, provides energy to these electric motors. The VW I.D. Vizzion concept has a driving range of up to 665 km. The 4-seat EV can accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 6.3 seconds and go further to achieve a governed top speed of 180 km/h.
The Baladi Orange-coloured concept is one of the first cars to have AI incorporated in itself. Thanks to AI, it is capable of learning. It has an assistant that adapts more perfectly to its users from day to day, because of the capability of learning. The system recognises the users’ needs and tastes and sets functions of the car autonomously. Seat and air condition settings or favourite music playlists for instance.
The VW I.D. Vizzion concept is designed for the highest, Level 5 autonomous driving. So, there’s no need for a driver’s seat, steering wheel, dash panel or foot pedals. This frees up lots of space to create a roomier cabin, perhaps of a size offered by a higher-class conventional vehicle. The concept is as large as a VW Passat when seen from the outside, but inside, it offers as much space as offered by a VW Phaeton. The boot space too is excellent - 565 litres, 65 litres more than in the VW Phaeton.
Inter-connected laser scanners, ultrasonic sensors, radar objects in the near-zone and radar sensors for long distances, front and rear cameras and side area view cameras detect the car’s environment. Traffic data is fetched continually via the cloud and is compared with the data in the car. In the future, networking of vehicles with one another and with the traffic infrastructure will make travelling in the VW I.D. Vizzion even more advanced. Volkswagen expects that Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous driving will become a reality in 2025.
Also Read: Next-gen VW Golf to enter production in June 2019
The VW I.D. Vizzion concept’s production version will arrive by 2022 at the latest. The 2018 Geneva Motor Show will stage the concept's public debut.
