Volkswagen’s highly anticipated all-electric ID.7 sedan, originally slated for launch in the US and Canada in the coming months, has been delayed indefinitely as dealers express caution, prompting the automaker to reevaluate its strategy.
The ID.7 was first made available for orders in Europe last August, with prices starting at around $62,000 (€56,995). However, the US launch has been put on hold, with no set date for its rollout.
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John Luciano, a member of the VW Nation Dealer Advisory Council and owner of Street Volkswagen in Texas, revealed that the ID.7 was a key topic of discussion at a recent dealer meeting. “We brought up a little bit of caution behind it,” Luciano said, as reported by Automotive News, adding that most VW dealers support the delay.
Luciano further explained the dealers’ concerns, stating, “We didn’t know an exact pricing, but [it’s] definitely a $50,000 to $60,000 car, without incentives. Is there any chance of it being competitive? And we felt like [it’s] not.”
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Despite expectations for the ID.7 to resemble the ID Space Vizzion concept, the actual design is more akin to a sedan, which may not align with current market preferences, according to Luciano. The ID.7 measures 195.3″ long, 73.3″ wide, and 60.5″ tall, similar to Volkswagen’s discontinued Passat.
Anthony Scala, co-owner of three VW dealerships in Chicago, expressed similar sentiments about the ID.7, stating, “I just don’t think an expensive electric sedan is in the cards for most Americans right now.”
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One of the major challenges for VW is the ID.7’s pricing, which starts at around $60,000 and does not qualify for the $7,500 EV tax credit as it is built in Germany. Scala added, “North of $50,000 for a sedan that doesn’t have the star logo, the ring logo or the BMW logo, it’s a non-starter.”
