Volkswagen will shortly unveil the ID.7s, an all-new electric car that will go on sale worldwide in less than 24 hours. The interior and characteristics of the ID.7 were shown in a last video teaser by the German automaker.
The ID.7’s dashboard ambient lighting, Harman Kardon audio, and a large infotainment screen that displays battery charge, seat ventilation/heating, and navigation were exposed by the door cards. The preview included the ID.7’s smart air vents, which made their debut at CES this year.
The sunroof controls, the SOS button, and the accelerator and brake pedals with play and pause icons are shown in the opening four seconds of the movie. The rest of the film featured wide images of the cabin, with the ID wordmark on the light-themed seat backrests.
The 2025 VW ID.7 will be unveiled on April 17, 2023. It is one of the most anticipated new electric automobiles, competing against heavyweights such as Tesla, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, and others.
VW’s past forays into the EV market have received lacklustre reviews at best. If this one is different, only time will tell.
Volkswagen will collaborate on an EV battery ecosystem in Indonesia
Volkswagen will join with miner Vale, Ford, and China’s battery materials producer Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt to establish an electric vehicle (EV) battery ecosystem in Indonesia, according to the Southeast Asian country’s investment minister.
Automakers are pursuing Indonesia for raw materials required in the production of EV batteries, which account for roughly 40% of the sticker price of a vehicle, in order to lower costs and close the gap on EV market leader Tesla.
Volkswagen, Europe’s largest manufacturer, will collaborate with Vale, Ford, Huayou, French miner Eramet, and other Indonesian companies, including Merdeka Gold Copper, the parent company of Merdeka Battery, and energy firm Kalla Group, according to Minister Bahlil Lahadalia on Sunday.
The collaborations would be joint ventures that would supply raw materials, according to Bahlil in a video message.
The collaborations would include joint ventures and the supply of raw materials, Bahlil said in a video statement from Germany, where an Indonesian delegation led by President Joko Widodo is attending the Hannover Messe and meeting representatives from companies such as German chemical giant BASF, Eramet, and Volkswagen.
“Indonesia is an important and interesting country in terms of raw materials and we are in a positive exchange with the government and suppliers,” Volkswagen said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Bahlil stated that BASF has showed interest in working with Eramet to develop a plant to make battery materials in Indonesia’s north Maluku province for a total investment of approximately $2.6 billion.
BASF and Eramet are jointly assessing the development of a nickel and cobalt hydrometallurgical refining complex in Indonesia, as promised in 2020, and BASF indicated in an emailed response that specifics would be disclosed after the assessment was completed.
Bahlil stated that investment interest from European firms would alleviate concerns that Indonesia’s mine management “did not adhere to international standards.”
Widodo, also known as Jokowi, told Reuters last month that Indonesia will improve monitoring of environmental regulations for nickel mining due to concerns about the metal’s impact.
Ford, Eramet, Kalla Group, Huayou, and Merdeka Gold Copper did not respond to demands for comment right away. PT Vale Indonesia did not respond.
Indonesia, which possesses the world’s largest nickel reserves, has been attempting to build nickel downstream businesses, with the eventual goal of producing batteries and EVs.
Ford (F.N) made its first investment in Indonesia last month, when it joined Vale Indonesia and Huayou in a $4.5 billion nickel processing plant in Southeast Sulawesi.
Volkswagen announced last month that it intends to invest 180 billion euros ($193 billion) over the next five years in areas such as battery production and raw material sourcing.
To read our blog on “E-Bike with swappable battery feature to launch soon in 2023,” click here
