► Our second report on life with a VW ID.7
► The ID.7 has to battle against winter
► But its battery is up to the job
We’ve all become accustomed to electric cars suffering to some extent in winter, right? Chemistry is chemistry, and batteries simply don’t perform as well in the cold. It’s unavoidable, but it seems the best hedge when the mercury plummets is to have a large enough energy capacity that you don’t notice the lower cold-weather range.
We’re expecting to get no more than 260 miles between charges at the moment, compared with nearer 300 in the summer, but we can live with that. The rest of the ID. 7’s cold-weather gear impresses, not least the clever matrix LED headlamps, which give a very clear view at night, without blinding oncoming drivers.
Also very welcome is rapid warming for all four seats and the ability to heat the cabin remotely via an app.
Logbook: VW ID.7 Pro Match 77kWh
Price £51,550 (£55,270 as tested)
Performance 77kWh battery, e-motor, 282bhp, 6.5sec 0-62mph, 112mph
Efficiency 4.7 miles per kWh (official), 3.3 miles per kWh (tested), 0 g/km CO2
Range 383 miles (official), 254 miles (tested)
Energy cost 8.2p per mile
Miles this month 839
Total miles 4408