- VW cites packaging constraints as the reason for not being able to fit combustion engines in commercial vehicle IDs. Discussion.
- The minivan’s short front overhang leaves no room for a gas engine.
- As a result, the company says it is unlikely to create a range-extended ID. Discussion.
With 60,700 units delivered globally in 2025, the ID. The Buzz was the eighth best-selling EV in the Volkswagen Group. Demand for the retro-flavored electric minivan and its cargo twin has doubled over the past year. However, while the electric people mover is doing well in Europe, it is struggling in the United States. There were only 6,140 units sold, leading to the unexpected decision to cancel the 2026 model year and clear out 2025MY inventory before bringing back the ID. Discussion for 2027.
The rear-wheel-drive model’s modest 234-mile range, coupled with its hefty starting price of $61,545, certainly doesn’t help its cause. When VW announced the I.D. While the buzz will skip 2026MY, it did not cite range or pricing as the reason for the minivan’s one-year hiatus. Instead, it attributed the generally weak EV adoption in the US, calling it a “strategic decision” based on a “careful assessment of current EV market conditions”.
Now we’re learning that VW had considered a way to create an ID. The Buzz is made more attractive by addressing range anxiety with the gas engine acting as a generator. In an interview with an Australian magazine, the head of Volkswagen commercial vehicles revealed that a range-extended version was at one point considered.
Photo by: DW Burnett/Motor1
Stephen Mecha told go auto When exploring the idea of an EREV powertrain, engineers ultimately faced packaging constraints. ID. The Buzz’s short front overhang leaves no room for a combustion engine as the MEB platform was developed specifically for battery-electric vehicles. More than 20 models run on the dedicated architecture, from the ID.3 to the ID.7 Tourer. Not all of these are even Volkswagen Group products, as the Ford Explorer and Capri also use a rear-wheel-drive-based modular platform.
While a border-extended I.D. Not to mention, VW Group recently launched its first EREV in China, where the ID. The Era 9X is a large six-seat SUV co-developed with SAIC. It uses the 1.5-liter gasoline engine as a generator to charge the battery, minimizing charging stops. The company’s new Scout brand will also offer range-extended versions of the Traveler and Terra in the United States when the SUV and pickup truck enter production in 2027.
At the end of last year, bloomberg The wider Volkswagen Group is reported to be considering range extenders for Europe and the United States. This makes sense, given that the long-awaited SSP platform is being developed to accommodate combustion engines that function solely as generators. The SSP is expected to eventually replace all of the group’s existing electric platforms with Porsche and Skoda models, potentially debuting in production Audi in 2028.
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Motor1’s Opinion: A range-extended version would have moved the needle for ID. Discussion in the United States. Although an EREV version doesn’t appear to be happening, VW isn’t abandoning the minivan. 2027 id. The Buzz brings new colors and wheel designs along with the traditional buttons on the steering wheel. It also includes a Tourer version that includes a fold-out mattress and platform, window curtains, front window ventilation panels, as well as an outdoor table and chairs.
Hopefully with more sensible pricing, idk. The Buzz may still have a chance to win over more American buyers. However, VW will continue to ship the electric minivan with a North American Charging System (NACS) adapter instead of the native port, and that could be a turnoff for some potential customers.
