The first buyers taking delivery of their new ID.Buzz Cargos could miss out on a whopping £5,000 grant due to delays in getting the van officially approved for the government funded Plug-in Van Grant (PiVG).

The grant is applicable to fully electric vans, with different amounts available depending on the weight category of the vehicle. The ID.Buzz Cargo meets the criteria for the £5,000 'Large Van' category for vehicles between 2,500kg and 4,250kg GVW, but Electrifying.com has been told that the official 'paperwork' has not been received which will allow dealers to claim the funding. 

The grant cannot be applied retrospectively after registration, meaning customers will either have to wait for approval to be received or take the financial hit and drive the Buzz now.

The ID.Buzz has a list price starting at £46,621 (before VAT), meaning the grant represents more than 10% of the purchase price. A comparable Vauxhall Vivaro Electric with the 75kWh battery starts at £42,945 or £37,945 with the grant.

A VW spokesperson said most buyers will be expected to take delivery in the new year, when the company expects to have official approval for the Buzz through, allowing dealers to claim the grant from the government.

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles which manages the grants told us: “We advise vehicle manufacturers to allow two months for the application process.”

The issue is only relevant to the Cargo version of the Buzz, as the passenger version is classed as a car and therefore cannot claim any grants from the government.

The issue is only relevant to the Cargo version of the Buzz