VW shows renamed ID7 sedan at CES featuring a ‘lit' camouflage scheme

Making new sedans sexy to consumers is proving to be an increasingly heavy lift in the North American market, so Volkswagen has settled on ensuring that the debut of its upcoming electric sedan at CES is "lit" — albeit temporarily — while giving the car a new name to go along with its unique camouflage scheme.

The German brand has redubbed what had been known as the ID Aero the ID7, a roughly Passat-sized sedan that will go on sale next year in Canada and the United States with what is expected to be VW's best range from its growing family of battery-electric vehicles. The vehicle on display, a production-intent version, is expected to be rated at around 700 kilometers (435 miles) of range in Europe under the continent's looser Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure regimen, the brand said. Range figures for North American versions have not been released.

Volkswagen Canada confirmed the vehicle will arrives in 2024 but couldn't provide pricing or many specifications, yet.

VW said the ID7 will feature a 15-inch infotainment screen incorporating a "new display concept," along with digitally controlled automated air vents and an intelligent HVAC system that can detect an approaching driver with their key and begin to pre-cool or pre-heat the cabin as needed.

The vents then move to best cool the cabin as directed, aiming air straight at passengers or elsewhere. They also respond to voice commands, VW said. So if the driver tells the vehicle their hands are cold, the ID7 not only heats the steering wheel, but directs heated air at the driver's hands.

To draw attention amid the glitz of Las Vegas and CES, VW has created a camouflage scheme for the ID7 that uses conductive and insulating paint layers to make different regions of the vehicle light up on demand. The electroluminescent paint and wiring, which add about 31 kilograms (70 pounds) to the display vehicle, required 40 layers of paint, engineers told sibling publication Automotive News prior to the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

The ID7 body is split into 22 zones that can be lit or unlit individually, allowing for a rolling light show. Additionally, QR codes embedded into the camouflage direct users to a website providing more information about the ID7.