2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro

APP550

Single-Motor Electric RWD

The rear-mounted APP550 permanent-magnet motor gives the ID.7 brisk, refined rear-wheel-drive shove with notably improved efficiency, its name derived from the 550 Nm of torque it produces.

Developed and built by Volkswagen Group Components in Kassel, Germany, the APP550 is the most powerful drive unit yet engineered for VW's MEB modular electric platform that also underpins the ID.4 and ID.Buzz.

• The motor's designation is literally a spec sheet: the '550' refers to its 550 Newton-metres of torque.
• Engineers boosted output by adding more stator winding loops and a stronger rotor magnet while reworking the inverter and liquid cooling to cut friction and heat.
• Sitting on the rear axle, it returns VW's mainstream EVs to a rear-drive layout reminiscent of the original rear-engined Beetle.