Volkswagen US dealers question if the new ID.7 EV can compete amid delays
For those of you waiting to get your hands on Volkswagen’s new all-electric ID.7 sedan, you will have to wait (at least) a little longer. VW is delaying the ID.7 launch in the US as dealers express caution.
VW delays US-bound ID.7 as dealer concerns arise
Volkswagen opened orders for its new flagship ID.7 electric sedan last August in Europe, with prices starting around $62,000 (€56,995).
Although the new EV was scheduled to launch in the US and Canada in the next few months, VW pushed back the release indefinitely last week. VW has yet to set a date for its rollout, but its dealers in the US seem okay with it.
John Luciano, a VW Nation Dealer Advisory Council member and owner of Street Volkswagen in Texas, said the ID.7 was a key part of the discussion at its recent meeting.
“We brought up a little bit of caution behind it,” Luciano said, according to Automotive News. Meanwhile, Luciano explained that most VW dealers support the ID.7 delay.
“Are we sure this is a good idea?” He added, “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.”
Still pretty much a sedan and likely an expensive one
Although VW dealers expected the new EV to be similar to the ID Space Vizzion concept, shown in 2018, the ID.7 is “still pretty much a sedan,” according to Luciano.
At 195.3″ long, 73.3″ wide, and 60.5″ tall, the ID.7 is similar in size to Volkswagen’s discontinued Passat (194″ long x 73″ wide x 59″ tall). Meanwhile, the ID.7 Tourer, recently launched in Europe, is closer to the concept dealers were looking for.
The ID.7s design gives the electric sedan a bigger back seat with more head and shoulder room, but the hatchback opens it up further.
Other VW dealers have expressed similar concerns about the ID.7 in the US. “I just don’t think an expensive electric sedan is in the cards for most Americans right now,” said Anthony Scala, who co-owns three VW dealerships (City Auto Group) in Chicago.
Unlike the new ID Buzz EV minivan, managers are not seeing strong demand for the ID.7. Volkswagen’s ID Buzz is set to hit the US market by the end of the year.
Scala, like Luciano, liked the ID.7 but thought the price tag, starting at around $60,000, was too high. “North of $50,000 for a sedan that doesn’t have the star logo, the ring logo or the BMW logo,” he added, “It’s a non-starter.”
Another major hurdle for VW is that the ID.7 is built in Germany, meaning it does not qualify for the $7,500 EV tax credit.
Perhaps, more importantly, is the timing. If VW launched the ID.7 as planned, Luciano said big incentives would be needed to move inventory.
Despite wanting more models, “We need models that will actually get out into the market and work,” Luciano explained. “But that wasn’t going to work with no incentives.”
Electrek’s Take
Volkswagen delaying the ID.7 could work out in its favor. However, that’s only if the automaker can adjust prices or features to attract buyers.
Otherwise, VW could risk falling further behind with an outdated, more expensive model. With most automakers revealing plans to launch low-cost EVs in the US, the ID. 7’s expensive starting price could hinder sales.
Sedans are not selling in the US like other global auto markets, as SUVs and trucks continue gaining market share.
What do you guys think about Volkswagen delaying the US-bound ID.7? Are VW dealers right? Is it the right move? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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Believe it or not, you can lease an EV for under $200 a month. New deals on models like the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 are hard to pass up this month.
Electric vehicles have been all over the news lately, with the Trump administration threatening to end federal incentives and introducing new tariffs that are expected to lead to higher prices.
On the positive side, new EV models are arriving, giving buyers more options and driving prices down. Many automakers reported record US electric car sales in the first three months of 2024.
GM remained the number two seller of EVs behind Tesla after sales doubled in Q1 2025. With the new Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs rolling out, Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is off to its best sales start since launching, with over 11,600 models sold in the first quarter.
With the 2025 models rolling out and about 15 new EVs arriving this year, many automakers are introducing steep discounts to move vehicles off the lot.
EVs for lease for under $200 a month in April
Although the decade-old Nissan LEAF remains one of the most affordable this April at just $149 per month, there are a few EVs under $200 right now that are worth taking a look at.
The new 2025 Hyundai IONIQ might be the best EV deal this month, with leases as low as $199. Hyundai is currently promoting a 24-month lease deal with $3,999 due at signing.
Hyundai upgraded the electric SUV with a bigger battery for more range (now up to 318 miles), a sleek new look inside and out, and it now comes with an NACS port so you can charge it at Tesla Superchargers.
The offer is for the IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range, which has a driving range of up to 245 miles. For just $229 a month, you can snag the SE RWD model, which has a range of up to 318 miles and a more powerful (225 horsepower) electric motor. It’s also a 24-month lease with $3,999 due at signing.
To sweeten the deal, Hyundai is offering a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV charger with the purchase or lease of any 2024 or 2025 IONIQ 5. If you already have one, you can opt for a $400 public charging credit.
After slashing lease prices this month, the 2025 Nissan Ariya is actually cheaper than the LEAF in some regions. In Southern California, the 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD is listed at just $129 per month. The AWD model has a range of up to 272 miles.
The deal is for 36 months, with $4,409 due at signing. In April, Nissan cut Ariya lease prices to around $239 in most other parts of the country.
Kia has a few EVs available to lease for under $200 a month in April. The 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind is listed at just $129 for 24 months, with $3,999 due at signing. Kia’s crossover SUV has EPA-estimated range of 253 miles.
The 2024 EV6 may be worth considering at just $179 for 24 months ($3,999 due at signing). In California, the EV6 Light Long Range RWD is only slightly more than the Niro Wind.
In most other parts of the country, you can still find the EV6 for under $200 a month. The Light Long Range RWD trim offers up to 310 miles of EPA-estimated range.
| Lease Price | Term (months) |
Amount Due at Signing | Driving Range | |
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | $199 | 24 | $3,999 | 245 miles |
| 2024 Kia EV6 Light Long Rang RWD | $179 | 24 | $3,999 | 310 miles |
| 2024 Kia Niro EV Wind | $129 | 24 | $3,999 | 253 miles |
| 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD | $129 | 36 | $4,409 | 272 miles |
| 2025 Nissan LEAF S FWD | $149 | 36 | $2,629 | 149 miles |
| 2024 Fiat 500 INSPI(RED) | $199 | 24 | $2,999 | 149 miles |
And don’t forget the 2024 Fiat 500e, which is now listed at just $199 for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing. The electric hatchback offers a range of up to 149 miles.
If you are looking to spend a little more, check out our list of EVs you can lease for under $300 a month.
Ready to snag the savings while they are still here? At under $200 a month, some of these EV lease deals are hard to pass up right now. Check out our links below to find deals in your area.
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![The US’s first solar panels over canals pilot is now online [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Project-Nexus-solar-canal.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Project Nexus, the first solar panel canopies over irrigation canals in the US, is now online in California, and there are plans to expand the project to other areas.
Project Nexus is a $20 million pilot in central California’s Turlock Irrigation District launched in October 2022. The project team is exploring solar over canal design, deployment, and co-benefits using canal infrastructure and the electrical grid.
India already has solar panels over canals, but Project Nexus is the first of its kind in the US.
The Turlock Irrigation District was the first irrigation district formed in California in 1887. It provides irrigation water to 4,700 growers who farm around 150,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley.
Project Nexus will explore whether the solar panels reduce water evaporation as a result of midday shade and wind mitigation, create improvements to water quality through reduced vegetative growth, reduce canal maintenance as a result of reduced vegetative growth, and, of course, generate renewable electricity.
The California Department of Water Resources, utility company Turlock Irrigation District, Marin County, California-based water and energy project developer Solar AquaGrid, and The University of California, Merced, are partnering on the pilot. Project Nexus originated from a 2021 research project led by UC Merced alumna and project scientist Brandi McKuin.
Solar panels were installed at two sites over both wide- and narrow-span sections of Turlock Irrigation District canals in Stanislaus County, in various orientations. The sections range from 20 feet wide to 100 feet wide. University of California, Merced has positioned research equipment at both sites to collect baseline data so the researchers can decide where solar will work and where it won’t.
In February 2023, Project Nexus announced it would also deploy long-term iron flow battery storage in the form of two ESS 75kW turnkey “Energy Warehouse” batteries.
You can learn more about Project Nexus here:
Read more: In a US first, California will pilot solar-panel canopies over canals
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