Volkswagen's Next EV Is This Passat Successor

The Volkswagen Passat won't be around much longer. Production will end in the coming months as the Chattanooga, Tennessee factory completes renovations and other upgrades for ID.4 production. The German automaker is going all-in on fully electric vehicles; the ID.4 is just the beginning. Perhaps one day it'll be joined in Chattanooga by this Passat-sized new EV sedan.

Thanks to our spy photographers, we're now looking at the first images of what's codenamed the Aero B, a four-door coupe that could one day be officially called the ID.6. With exterior styling from the ID. Space Vizzion concept, first revealed at the 2019 LA Auto Show, the Aero B rides on the familiar MEB platform and will offer both RWD and AWD setups in single and dual-motor variants.

Sources claim a sportier GTX variant is also in the works but isn't expected to be revealed alongside the base models. The prototype shown here testing in Sweden is not the final design. How do we know? Because it's wearing the sheetmetal of the Chinese market Passat. It does, however, boast flush door handles which should make production.

VW made further attempts to disguise the prototype's identity by tacking on several fake body components, including front air intakes - which are nothing more than black foil - and a phony grille. There also stickers covering the headlights' design. What we can expect to see make final production is a light strip between the front lights, a styling trait taken directly from the ID.4.

A rear strip connecting the taillights is expected, too. There's also some camouflage around the C-pillar, hinting at a more stylish design than what we see here. In general, what we're looking at is VW's response to the Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2, and the also upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 6.

An official reveal date has not been announced but sales should get underway sometime in 2023. That means a debut will happen later this year, though it's not expected until the fourth quarter. And in case you're wondering, the Aero B/ID.6 will be sold in the US and will be priced very competitively.