Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz has become the latest electric vehicle to skip North America for the 2026 model year. Dwindling EV demand, high asking prices and import tariffs, and quality issues that resulted in two major recalls caused the German automaker to shelve its modern take on the classic “microbus.”
Volkswagen ID. Buzz Sales Halted
Hype
The ID. Buzz had a lot of hype surrounding it when the first concept vehicle made its debut at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. The COVID-19 pandemic, among many other stops and starts, pushed full production of this retro EV back to 2022 for Europe and 2024 for North America.
Warning Signs
The first warning signs came as the ID. Buzz was ready to reach North American dealerships: the asking price. While VW outright stated the ID. Buzz was meant as a “halo” vehicle to draw buyers into showrooms, eyebrows were raised when the MSRP was announced at just a shade less than $60,000, not including destination fee. Tack on extra-cost paint, all-wheel drive, and the available panoramic glass roof option, and your sticker price would be well north of $70,000. That’s a lot, even for an EV from a mainstream auto brand, especially one that’s rated for just 231-234 miles of range, depending on whether buyers choose a rear- or all-wheel-drive configuration.
Stop Sale
Less than six months after the Buzz went on sale, VW issued two “stop sale” orders to all dealers in North America for unrelated recalls. The first involved a brake system warning light on the dashboard that could display the wrong symbol and color. The second, and arguably more embarrassing, was that the third-row seat was too wide. The calculated width of the seating surface exceeded the maximum allowed for two passengers, meaning it was not in compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requirements. A software update fixed the instrument panel warning light while VW dealers needed to install fixed trim parts to limit the width of the third-row seat.
EV Tax Credit
The final dagger that killed any momentum the ID. Buzz might have had occurred when the current US administration ended the $7,500 federal EV tax credit while adding steep tariffs to imported vehicles (the ID. Buzz is assembled in Hanover, Germany).
Disappointing Sales
Unforced errors and other factors outside of the automaker’s control limited sales to less than 5,000 through the first three quarters of 2025. As of this writing, shopping website Autotrader lists nearly 1,600 new ID. Buzz vehicles for sale across the US so it makes sense why there would be a pause on new imports. To help dealers shift their existing inventory, the automaker is providing its own $7,500 incentive.
Promised to Return
In a statement released to industry trade publication Automotive News, VW’s North American CEO Kjell Gruner said, “The ID. Buzz remains an important part of the Volkswagen portfolio, and I want to be clear: we are not cancelling this product in the US market.” He added that the company will focus on getting existing inventory sold to ensure, “…a strong foundation as we prepare for the [model-year 2027] transition next year.”
CG Says:
VW’s decision to sideline the ID. Buzz feels less like an isolated stumble and more like another chapter in a broader EV retreat. The Buzz joins the Nissan Ariya and Genesis Electrified G80 on the list of models skipping North America for the 2026 model year. Others, like the Acura ZDX, have been discontinued all together after a single-year run. More ambitious projects such as the Ram 1500 REV and Jeep Gladiator 4xe have been cancelled before they had a chance to reach production. It’s a sobering reminder of how quickly optimism around EVs has collided with the headwinds of high prices, quality missteps, and shifting political, economic, and consumer preferences. In that context, the Buzz’s pause isn’t just about a retro-designed van losing momentum; it’s a sign of an industry recalibrating expectations.
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