The Volkswagen ID.6 Is Now on Sale, But Not for Us

• Deliveries of the VW ID.6 have begun in China, where two versions of the SUV are produced by two joint ventures.

• The ID.6 is based on the MEB platform, offering 58- and 77-kWh battery capacities, along with rear- or all-wheel-drive layouts.

• The ID.6 is not believed to be headed to Europe or North America, as VW readies an even larger battery-electric model.

Following its reveal earlier this spring, deliveries of the battery-electric Volkswagen ID.6 have begun across the Pacific, offering seating for as many as seven. The model, first shown at the Shanghai motor show earlier this year, will be produced and sold in China for now, with two different VW joint ventures producing slightly different versions.

That's right—there are two of these—badged ID.6 Crozz and ID.6 X, with FAW-Volkswagen joint venture producing the former in Foshan, and SAIC Volkswagen in Anting, near Shanghai, producing the latter. Each features slightly different exterior styling and options, along with a choice of two batteries and a choice of rear- or all-wheel-drive. The 58.0-kWh option is the smaller battery in the lineup, offering 271 miles in the NEDC cycle, while the 77.0-kWh option serves up a 365-mile range in the (slightly optimistic) NEDC cycle. The smaller battery will only be available with rear-wheel-drive models.

While the battery sizes are identical to those offered in the ID.4 stateside and in Europe, we wouldn't compare the ranges as apples-to-apples, especially given the heftier curb weights of the ID.6 variants.

Despite its larger exterior size, the ID.6 in base form is quite affordable in China. The Crozz starts at 239,800 yuan, or about $37,100 after government incentives. That's not far from the starting price of the smaller ID.4 stateside.