The Volkswagen ID Crozz made its debut at the 2017 Shanghai auto show, following on from the premieres of the ID shown at the 2016 Paris show and the ID Buzz concepts which made its debut in Detroit. All three concepts are previews of a new generation of zero-emission vehicles with a bespoke design language and a new, tech-laden interior environment that Volkswagen will debut in the next few years.
Volkswagen insists its future is electric, and the ID Crozz concept previews what we can expect to see from the company in the coming years. It’s also the very first all-electric crossover from Volkswagen — but it’s definitely not the last.
The ID Crozz concept is billed a crossover-coupe, a body style that’s spreading across the industry like wildfire. It rides on a modular platform named MEB that’s being developed by Volkswagen specifically to underpin electric vehicles. The body surfacing is simple, but the proportions are challenging — something that’s not helped by the massive wheels, which give the car a caricature-like look when seen from all angles.
Developed with autonomous driving in mind, the steering wheel automatically retracts into the dashboard when it’s not needed — as with the other ID concepts shown previously. Inside the four-passenger interior, a wide touch screen replaces all of the dials, buttons, and knobs normally found on the instrument panel. It’s also quite a minimalist environment that, together with the vast glass roof canopy, lends and airy feel to the interior.
The first MEB-based car is scheduled to enter production in 2019, and at least three others will follow in the coming years; Volkswagen is committed to putting a million electric cars on the road by 2025. And while executives have confirmed a crossover will join the ID family, it’s too early to tell whether the Crozz’s massive wheels and fastback-like silhouette will make the transition from concept to production.
