Volkswagen has shelved plans to ship its much-hyped electric ID. Buzz to American dealerships next year, pausing the vehicle's US rollout after just one full year of disappointing sales.
A Disappointing Debut for the Electric Icon
The decision marks a significant setback for what was meant to be the German automaker's crown jewel vehicle – a modern, battery-powered reboot of its iconic hippie camper van. Instead, the Buzz has become a case study in the rapid cooling of the US electric vehicle market. In its first year, the model found just 6,096 buyers in the United States, a paltry figure for a vehicle that debuted with considerable fanfare and a starting price around $60,000.
Robby DeGraff, an industry analyst at AutoPacific, told the Daily Mail: "What happened with the Buzz is disappointing but also expected." Despite its charming retro styling, dual-tone paints, and airy interior that mimicked the classic Microbus, the vehicle faced harsh commercial realities. Its EPA-rated range of 234 miles fell short, while its price tag was thousands of dollars higher than many petrol and hybrid minivan competitors that could travel farther and refuel in minutes.
A Broader Market Retreat and Policy Shifts
Volkswagen's temporary pullback is not an isolated move. It follows the company's earlier cancellation of plans to bring the ID.7 electric sedan to the US and is part of a wider industry reassessment. Last week, Ford officially cut the all-electric F-150 Lightning from its 2026 portfolio. Acura and Nissan have similarly scrapped the ZDX and Ariya models, respectively, with both now focusing on new, cheaper EVs.
This major lineup adjustment coincides with significant policy upheaval. A key driver was the elimination of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit on 30 September, a subsidy that had previously propelled battery-powered sales. The impact was immediate: in October, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, and Tesla all posted substantial monthly sales drops for their all-electric vehicles.
Compounding the shift, President Donald Trump's recent executive order cutting automakers' fuel-efficiency targets has further reduced the pressure on companies to electrify their lineups rapidly. "We're entering a period where we'll see what organic demand for EVs actually looks like, without the policy thumb on the scale," said Erin Keating, an executive analyst at Cox Automotive.
The Road Ahead: A 2027 Reboot
Despite the pause, Volkswagen insists the Buzz is not gone for good. Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, stated clearly: "The 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."
Instead, the automaker is using the time to reboot the van. The updated model, now slated for the 2027 model year, is expected to hit US dealerships by mid-2026. Industry experts hope the revised version will address the two primary criticisms of the original: its high price and limited range. The coming years will test whether American consumers develop a genuine appetite for electric vehicles without heavy federal incentives, with affordability becoming the paramount concern.
