Is Volkswagen's Aero an electric version of the new Passat?

Volkswagen has released a new ID design sketch. The Aero, its first global all-electric sedan, will be launched first in China, followed by North America and Europe. The model was originally scheduled to debut in China in late April, but due to the postponement of the Beijing Auto Show, the concept car's unveiling will take place on June 27 at 2:00 pm.

Volkswagen's Aero, also known internally as the Aero B, is the brand's first global all-electric production sedan and is expected to help Volkswagen accelerate its electrification offensive within the framework of an acceleration strategy.

We've already seen one of the sketches showing the front end at the Volkswagen Group's annual press conference on March 15.

The Aero appears to be a highly aerodynamic vehicle, with a sleek and sharp exterior design, a low front hood and a swooping coupe-like roofline. Volkswagen says the aerodynamic design of the front face and roof help reduce energy consumption and increase range.

The backend of ID looks relatively traditional. With horizontal LED taillights connected by a light bar, and the spacious interior that a saloon should have, the Aero is based on Volkswagen's Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB). Back in March, Volkswagen brand boss Ralf Brandstätter said the all-electric concept sedan would have a range of 700 kilometers. Volkswagen will provide more details at its debut in three days. There may be powertrain options with rear-wheel and full-time four-wheel drive, as well as a GTX-badged performance model -- VW recently confirmed that all ID models will get GTX buffs -- using the most powerful dual-motor setup, boosting performance.

In 2020, Frank Welsch, Volkswagen's former head of research and development, said it would sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. The Aero will be an electric model in the same class as the Passat and is expected to go on sale in China in the second half of 2023, with corresponding models in North America and Europe launching in 2023.

The China-spec models will be produced locally, and the Aero for Europe and North America will be built at the automaker's Emden plant, which recently started producing the ID.4 electric SUV.