Volkswagen Kills Its Own EV Baby, Prefers Gas-Guzzling Siblings

KEY POINTS

•In April 2026, Volkswagen announced it would cease US production of the electric ID.4 at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant.
•The company will prioritize making the redesigned 2027 Atlas SUV, a gas or hybrid model, aiming for higher-volume sales here.
•Volkswagen cited industry EV uncertainty and lackluster US demand, relying on existing ID.4 inventory expected to last into 2027.

Volkswagen decided in April 2026 to axe US production of its once-hopeful ID.4 EV at the Chattanooga plant, pivoting to the gloriously fossil-fueled 2027 Atlas SUV instead. Despite the ID.4’s world debut fanfare in 2020, US buyers get no fresh models—just leftovers that VW hopes will limp along into 2027. Meanwhile, VW skipped importing 2026 ID. Buzz vans due to lackluster demand, promising a 2027 comeback with updates. The company admits EV sales ‘continue to challenge the industry’—a polite way of saying the Tesla buster bit the dust in America while conquering Europe in 2025, ironically. Ford, Toyota, and Rivian laugh from their cheaper EV corners, as VW rewrites its EV dreams one canceled model at a time.