The choice of one type of energy rather than another depends above all on the use. We have already written it many times and you will hear us repeat it again because we are convinced of it by our multiple feedback. For those who only drive in town, electric is magical. But those who monopolize the secondary network and line the highways will be very happy to instead have a thermal car (hybrid or not), much easier to live with and significantly less expensive to purchase.. Yes but (there is always one!), that does not prevent manufacturers from continuing to develop electricity, which has a bright future according to the European regulatory authorities who want to make it the only viable means of transport. within about ten years. Whether we will really get to that point, it is still too early to say.
But the fact remains that the charging network in France continues to expand each year. Add to that engineers who are working hard to make recharging faster and faster and the journey full of pitfalls of long-distance travel in a battery-powered vehicle almost becomes a banality.. The proof with our 1000 km journey in a Volkswagen ID.7.
Big charging power and preconditioning are your friends
Obviously, not all electric vehicles are equal, and it is not tomorrow that you will see us proclaiming loud and clear that lining up hundreds of highway kilometers behind the wheel of a city car or a small electric SUV is a pleasure. On the other hand, with the ID.7, things are more pleasant and above all easier. Thanks to that good size battery and some advantages such as preconditioning of the latter to maintain it at temperature and thus benefit from optimal charging power when you plug it in, it is no longer the cross and the banner of going on a road trip. It is also in this type of use that the VW is most comfortable. Indeed, its 4.98m long are as much a handicap in the city as an asset on the main roads, offering peace of mind while driving and space and comfort for passengers.
With no less than 77 kWh capacity, the German promises up to 616 km of autonomy according to the WLTP cycle. In real life, expect between 500 and 600 km on the road depending on your right foot, and between 350 and 400 km on the highway, with cruise control set to 132 km/h. Which means that by leaving with a full battery from the north of Paris, we reach the countryside south of Lyon (journey of a little over 500 km) by carrying out only a single charge of less than half an hour. Or, to use more concrete terms, just what you need for a bathroom break, enjoy a delicious triangle sandwich and respond to a few notifications received. Better, the ID.7, given for 175 kW of maximum charging power, can exceed them since we recorded a peak at 186 kW. And on compatible Ionity terminals, there is no even need to use any charging card since you simply plug it in so that it communicates alone with the terminal and refills. Practical !
Efficiency at all levels
If the VW has nothing of the canon of beauty, with fairly ordinary features, it still proves once again that a low body is a significant asset for efficiency. On expressways, consumption has stabilized at 20 kWh/100 km on the dashboard, which is quite remarkable for 286 hp and no less than 2.1 tonnes. As to secondary network, the sedan makes short work of it and unashamedly displays barely 14 kWh/100 km on the small screen behind the steering wheel. Great performance… Especially since the ID.7 does not particularly encourage driving at a senator’s pace because it benefits from a pleasant chassis thanks to effective damping, and that it can be driven well by well-calibrated steering, precise and sufficiently communicative. A pleasant travel companion, the VW also has a large trunk (532 dm3 announced), all the comfort equipment expected at this level of range and it will delight tall people who will be able to stretch their legs in the rear seats. And if it wants to be much more classic in form than a Hyundai Ioniq 6, it also sets the bar higher in terms of perceived quality.
Peaceful electric travel, yes, but under certain conditions
This trip, among all those carried out weekly by members of the editorial staff in order to best inform you about the latest developments in the automotive world, sounds like confirmation that in 2024, traveling peacefully by electric vehicle becomes possible… Under certain conditions. First of all, staying on the main roads will be the key to not wasting time when recharging. It is mostly on motorways that we find the highest charging powers and there are generally no more than 40 km between two terminals, so that we can plan our breaks quite effectively. Secondly, a car that accepts at least 150 kW of charging power and has at least 70 kWh of battery is a prerequisite for not stopping too frequently nor too long. Finally, if you don’t know your route and the charging points by heart, don’t hesitate to use a route planner. Either the one integrated into your car’s GPS, if it is equipped with one, or via smartphone applications. ChargeMap offers one, but the efficient A Better Route Planer is also a viable solution. But to benefit from battery preconditioning, you generally have to use the car’s GPS except in the VW where you can do it manually. It’s not that common! These are the challenges of long distances in a connected car, increasingly easier for the most efficient models on the market but still complicated for more modest cars.
Compare the real ranges of the best electric cars according to our standardized measurement cycle. Battery capacity, consumption, autonomy, we tell you everything!
