Volkswagen says that it's planning to pause exports of its retro electric minibus to the U.S. in 2026, as EV sales in the country have plunged.

The Wall Street Journal reports that VW's ID.Buzz bus had more than 200 days worth of available vehicles for sale in the U.S. as of the end of November, compared to the auto industry average of around 54 days for all vehicles. First unveiled in 2022 as a nostalgic nod to VW's 1960s bus, the ID.Buzz didn't arrive in the U.S. until 2024, and between its relatively expensive $60,000 starting price and modest 250-mile battery range, it's proven to be a tough sell for American drivers.

Cox Automotive estimates that total U.S. EV sales will dip by more than 2% year-over-year in 2025, marking the first decline the country has seen since 2019. That was largely driven by the Trump administration canceling a $7,500 federal EV tax credit on September 30, and the White House's broader strategy to roll back emissions standards that had previously incentivized dealers to sell cleaner vehicles.

According to Car & Driver, VW CEO Kjell Gruner clarified in a recent statement that the ID.Buzz is not being permanently canceled for the U.S. market, with the German automaker hoping to bring it back for the 2027 model year. In the meantime, VW said that it will focus on selling the 2025 models still in stock at U.S. dealerships through mid-2026, before starting to phase in the 2027 model.