Electric vehicles have always been a tough sell in the U.S. given their range limitations, longer recharging times, and higher prices than traditional internal combustion cars. Since EV critic President Donald Trump and his Grand Old Party senators decided to end the $7,500 electric vehicle federal tax credit in September, automakers have chosen to reevaluate the viability of their electrified vehicle lineups. Unfortunately Volkswagen is one of those automakers, and it has decided to press pause U.S. market production of its gleeful and charismatic electric ID Buzz for 2026.
The ID Buzz has faced an uphill sales battle since its introduction at the end of 2024, no doubt due to its $60,000 base price and low 234-mile maximum driving range. I saw a real-world range of around 280 miles on a charge when I lived with the ID Buzz for a week, and loved every second I spent in it, but it has understandably struggled to find buyers. Dealers were first notified of the change, and our friends at Carscoops found out about it on Reddit. We reached out to a Volkswagen spokesperson for comment on the matter, who sent over the dealer memo that said, “following a careful assessment of current EV market conditions, we have made the strategic decision not to move forward with MY26 ID Buzz.”
Only the Volkswagen Golf R sold fewer units through Q3
The ID Buzz has not been the sales success that Volkswagen was hoping for despite winning over most journalists who get behind its slightly bus-like steering wheel. Volkswagen’s Q3 sales reports show that only the specialized and expensive Golf R sold fewer units than the ID Buzz through the end of September. Volkswagen sold just 4,934 ID Buzzes in the first three quarters of 2025, making up just under 2% of the company’s total Q1 to Q3 sales.
All hope for the model is not lost, though. The dealer memo said, “this approach allows us to focus our resources more effectively on current inventory and supporting retail performance throughout the remainder of 2025, ensuring a strong foundation as we prepare for the model year 2027 transition next year.”
Logan K. Carter/ Jalopnik
I really hope that this doesn’t spell the end for the retro-cool Volkswagen ID Buzz in the U.S., since they bring some much-needed color and whimsy to the comparably quite homogenous array of other crossovers on sale today. Hopefully the 2027 model year brings an improved and more affordable ID Buzz, and not more bad news.
