Volkswagen has suspended exports of its ID Buzz electric minibus to the United States, the company confirmed to German media. Shipments were halted this week after the automaker initiated a recall of the U.S.-spec model because regulators judged its rear seat to be too wide. People familiar with the decision told Handelsblatt the recall was not the sole reason for the pause. They said the 27.5 percent import duty Washington imposed on European-built vehicles in April has eroded margins on the ID Buzz, which is assembled exclusively at Volkswagen’s Hannover-Stöcken plant. The retro-styled van is one of the cornerstone products in Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ electrification strategy and had been expected to strengthen the brand’s U.S. presence. The company did not indicate when exports might resume, saying only that it is working on technical modifications and is "monitoring market conditions."