VW introduced right now that it’s going to delay the discharge of its ID.7 sedan within the US, setting no particular date for when the car can be accessible.
The ID.7 is VW’s upcoming electrical sedan, which has already began gross sales in Europe and in China.
In March we realized about potential trim ranges for the flagship “near-luxury” sedan. And final yr, we had a drive within the ID.7’s European trim and fairly favored it.
Whereas we didn’t study pricing or vary info, that was supposed to come back out in Q3, nearer to when the car will launch. A launch date hadn’t but been introduced, however the automobile was supposed to come back to North America within the 2025 mannequin yr.
However right now VW says that it’s delaying that launch indefinitely as a consequence of “market circumstances.”
VW did not specify which market circumstances it was referring to, however now we have some suspicions.
Producers have a perception that People solely need SUVs (or so they are saying – actually, that is at the least partially pushed by emissions guidelines), and the ID.7 shouldn’t be one. Once we first noticed the ID.7 it was within the guise of the “Area Vizzion” idea, VW mentioned it “combines the aerodynamic qualities of a Gran Turismo with the beneficiant inside area of an SUV” – attempting to leverage People’ supposed need just for land yachts by portraying a considerably extra wise wagon as one thing it’s not.
That idea obtained changed into the ID.7 Tourer station wagon, and the ID.7 sedan is the sedan model of the identical platform.
So VW could also be responding to this perception, pondering that People gained’t need a sedan.
One other chance is that VW EV gross sales are usually not going nice. VW has by no means been as sturdy within the US as it’s in the remainder of the world, however EVs supply a contemporary taking part in discipline for them to hope to maneuver into new markets. In a quickly rising North American EV market, which grew some 13% in Q1 in comparison with the yr prior, VW really noticed a gross sales lower of three% – certainly one of few manufacturers to see such a dip.
A part of this is because of upcoming new fashions, just like the newly-released ID.4 2024 replace which has so many enhancements it feels extra like a mid-cycle refresh than a easy mannequin yr replace. The VW ID.Buzz, which we lastly obtained some particulars on final week, can be anticipated later this yr.
Patrons could be ready for these new fashions (or for VW so as to add NACS connectors) earlier than committing to a brand new automobile.
However a kind of upcoming new fashions was additionally the ID.7, which as we now know can be delayed. Some patrons might need been ready for it, however we gained’t know now how fashionable it might need been till it lastly does make its method to the US. And if gross sales aren’t sturdy elsewhere, opening one other new market might need helped.
However in keeping with VW, the ID.7 “has change into an trade normal successful numerous worldwide awards.” It additionally says that demand for the ID.7 Tourer is “greater than anticipated, particularly in Germany.” So maybe this, mixed with a disappointing begin of gross sales in China the place home manufacturers are capturing more and more extra of the market, has precipitated VW to convey its focus again homewards in the interim, and it obtained chilly toes about opening one other new market if issues are going nicely sufficient at dwelling.
