VW postpones US premiere of the ID.7

Volkswagen has postponed the market launch of its ID.7 electric saloon in the US and Canada indefinitely. Volkswagen of America justifies the decision based on the current market environment and leaves the question of when the ID.7 will hit the road in North America open.

The step is being taken “as market dynamics continue to change,” the manufacturer writes in a brief press release. “Volkswagen is committed to making market-driven choices while listening to our customers,” it states. However, it does not mention a new date. Most recently, the market launch was planned for the third quarter of 2024.

The ID.7 for Europe will be built at the German plant in Emden, while the China version will be built by joint ventures with FAW and SAIC in Foshan and Anting. North American production of the ID.7 at the US plant in Chattanooga or in Mexico has yet to start, which is why the vehicle for the US and Canada would probably have been imported from Emden first. The ID.4 for the US market was also initially built in Germany before production started in Chattanooga.

Volkswagen of America published the offer structure for the ID.7 at the end of March. In the US, it will offer two variants, each of which can be ordered with rear or all-wheel drive. However, pricing and the official EPA range are not yet known and will only be announced after the launch.

The exact specification differs slightly from the European model, as in the US, variants with the 82 kWh battery are called ID.7 Pro S and Pro S Plus – in Europe the ID.7 Pro has an 82 kWh battery (77 kWh net) and the Pro S model has a 91 kWh battery, of which 86 kWh is usable. However, the ID.7 Pro S with the larger battery is not yet available to order in Europe. However, the new APP550 electric motor is also used in the US model, with the rear-wheel drive version delivering the equivalent of 208 kW and the all-wheel drive version 246 kW – in each case slightly less than the 210 and 250 kW of the Europe models. Unlike in Germany, however, the all-wheel drive model is not marketed as a GTX in the US.

However, the delay to the ID.7 does not mean that Volkswagen of America is abandoning EVs altogether. The brief statement reads: “We remain committed to electric mobility—this year, we have enhanced the range and performance on our all-electric 2024 ID.4 SUV, and we are thrilled to welcome the iconic Microbus back into our lineup with the arrival of the 2025 ID. Buzz in Q4.”

vw.com (postponement), vw.com (US offer structure of the ID.7)