diff --git a/templates/definition/vehicle/cardata.yaml b/templates/definition/vehicle/cardata.yaml
index b107c68fe..f8049b146 100644
--- a/templates/definition/vehicle/cardata.yaml
+++ b/templates/definition/vehicle/cardata.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ requirements:
 params:
   - preset: vehicle-common
   - name: vin
+    required: true
     example: WBMW...
   - name: clientid
     required: true
diff --git a/vehicle/cardata.go b/vehicle/cardata.go
index dca542409..5a2263fd9 100644
--- a/vehicle/cardata.go
+++ b/vehicle/cardata.go
@@ -4,13 +4,11 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
-	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/api"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/plugin/auth"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
-	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/request"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/vehicle/bmw/cardata"
 	"golang.org/x/oauth2"
 )
@@ -39,6 +37,10 @@ func NewCardataFromConfig(ctx context.Context, other map[string]interface{}) (ap
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if cc.VIN == "" {
+		return nil, errors.New("missing vin")
+	}
+
 	if cc.ClientID == "" {
 		return nil, api.ErrMissingCredentials
 	}
@@ -75,19 +77,7 @@ func NewCardataFromConfig(ctx context.Context, other map[string]interface{}) (ap
 
 	api := cardata.NewAPI(log, ts)
 
-	is429 := func(err error) bool {
-		se := new(request.StatusError)
-		return errors.As(err, &se) && se.StatusCode() == http.StatusTooManyRequests
-	}
-
-	vehicle, err := ensureVehicle(
-		cc.VIN, api.Vehicles,
-	)
-	if err != nil && (cc.VIN == "" || !is429(err)) {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	v.Provider = cardata.NewProvider(ctx, log, api, ts, cc.ClientID, vehicle)
+	v.Provider = cardata.NewProvider(ctx, log, api, ts, cc.ClientID, cc.VIN)
 
 	return v, nil
 }