VW ID.6 SUV Sports Seats For Seven—but Not For Us

• VW ID.6 electric SUV debuts at the Shanghai Motor Show, ahead of sales in China.

• A choice of rear- and all-wheel drive will be on the menu, in addition to 58.0-kWh and 77.0-kWh batteries.

• Two slightly different versions of the ID.6 will be offered, dubbed Crozz and X, with production taking place at two different plants.

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off its next electric model, revealing the ID.6 SUV ahead of the Shanghai Motor Show. Positioned above the ID.4, the new model was previewed by the Roomz concept exactly two years ago and has now become the third ID-branded electric VW model to go on sale, at least in China for now.

The ID.6 will be offered with a choice of two battery options straight from the MEB-platform lineup: 58.0 kWh and 77.0 kWh (usable). The smaller battery will be offered only in a rear-wheel-drive configuration, while those who opt for the larger battery will have a choice of rear- or all-wheel-drive. If these two capacities sound familiar, that's because they're also offered in the ID.4.

The published ranges of 271 miles and 365 miles in the NEDC cycle may seem less familiar to those who have been following the development of the ID.4—these figures are well above the EPA ranges for the smaller and lighter ID.4.

Volkswagen will offer the ID.6 in two main flavors: ID.6 Crozz (the orange one) and ID.6 X (purple), with the two featuring different interior and exterior details. The two main trims will also be produced by different factories in China and by different joint ventures. The ID.6 Crozz will be built by FAW-Volkswagen in Foshan, while the ID.6 X will be built by SAIC Volkswagen in Anting, near Shanghai. We saw an identical approach to the two ID.4 variants in China, also named Crozz and X, respectively.

Among other things, the ID.6 will offer seating for seven and a 12.0-inch infotainment touchscreen replacing many buttons, as well as a panoramic glass roof. Despite the sport utility bodystyle and all-wheel drive, the ID.6 will be aimed pretty squarely at on-road use, with a choice of 19- and 21-inch wheels.

On paper, the ID.6 appears to be well suited to the US market, but Volkswagen won't bring it here. At least for now. The number of electric SUVs and crossovers in the US is about to swell, but the automaker points out that the ID.6 was designed with the Chinese market in mind.

Still, we won't rule out Volkswagen offering something similar-sized in the US at some point in this decade, especially once the Chattanooga factory starts cranking out electric models for North America. Volkswagen AG is currently staking its electric sport utility offerings mostly on Audi, but an affordable electric SUV of this size, akin to an electric Atlas, is pretty much inevitable for the United States.

Should VW offer the three-row ID.6 here? Let us know in the comments below.