VOLKSWAGEN FINALLY HAS TESLA SUPERCHARGER ACCESS FOR THE ID.4, ID. BUZZ
Around 2023, a flurry of automakers started making announcements that their electric vehicles would be compatible with Tesla's Supercharger network in North America. This came after the leading EV brand started opening its chargers to rivals following a deal made with the White House. The Volkswagen Group was one of the automakers to sign on, and now, we're finally seeing the first EVs that can tap into Tesla's high-speed chargers.
VW Group said owners of its Volkswagen ID.4 crossover and ID. Buzz minivan will be able to use the network starting November 18, 2025. That's a little later than other automakers, whose EVs have been eligible since the start of the year. Some, like Ford, have had EVs eligible since 2024. Like they say, it's better late than ever.
More Than 25,000 Chargers And Counting
The move will significantly increase the number of DC fast chargers available to ID.4 and ID. Buzz owners. Tesla's Superchargers represent close to 60% of DC fast chargers in the US, and the figure is growing. Tesla is continuing to add more chargers to the network, including new V4 Superchargers that can deliver up to 500 kilowatts of charging for passenger vehicles, or double the rate of the previous design.
Tesla's Superchargers use a unique charging standard known as North American Charging System (NACS), which has a different plug to the CCS standard that most non-Tesla EVs are designed for. It means an adapter will be required for charging on the network, which VW is selling for $200. Original owners of 2025 model year ID.4 and ID. Buzz EVs get a $100 rebate on their adapter and from 2026 it will be made standard on VW EVs.
Some automakers, particularly those who sell most of their vehicles in North America, will start integrating the NACS standard into their vehicles from the factory. The first has already landed in the form of the 2025 Ioniq 5. VW Group's new Scout brand will also offer NACS integration from the arrival of its first EV around 2027. Fellow VW Group brands Audi and Porsche are also committed to NACS.
VW's EVs Need All The Help They Can Get
While VW's EVs are gaining traction in Europe – the brand sold 133,465 EVs in the region in the first half of 2025 versus Tesla's total of 108,878 – sales in the US have struggled, particularly in the case of the ID. Buzz. And now there's no longer any federal incentives to help lure buyers.
VW sold just 2,469 examples of the ID. Buzz in the third quarter. Low demand globally led the automaker to pause production at the vehicle's plant in October. Sales of the ID.4, on the other hand, appear to be picking up steam, with its third-quarter figures jumping 176 percent from the previous quarter to 12,470 units. However, the steep rise is almost certainly due to buyers looking to take advantage of the federal tax credit prior to its expiration on September 30.
Access to Tesla’s Supercharger network could give Volkswagen’s EVs a meaningful boost in sales, as it addresses one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption: the challenges of public charging. Even with a growing number of stations, chargers can still be hard to find, and when they are available, they aren’t always working or often have long wait times. In Europe, VW is helping tackle this issue by supporting the Ionity network of public chargers, while in the US, it continues to build out its own infrastructure through Electrify America.
2025-11-14T03:09:38ZSource: Volkswagen