There are two Volkswagen cars that have legendary status, the Beetle and Type 2 (T2) Van, the ID Buzz is a reincarnation of the latter coming with fun colours and an electric powertrain.
Volkswagen debuted the much hyped van with two versions, the ID Buzz which is a 5 seater and the Buzz Cargo for carrying items as the name suggests.
“The ID. Buzz is a genuine icon for the electric era. A car, the likes of which only Volkswagen can build. In the 1950s, the Volkswagen Bulli stood for a new feeling of automotive freedom, independence and great emotion. The ID. Buzz picks up on this lifestyle and transfers it into our time: emission-free, sustainable, fully networked and now ready for the next big chapter: autonomous driving. With this car, we are bringing together the core themes of our ACCELERATE strategy in one product for the first time.”
Ralf Brandstätter, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars
The Buzz comes with the option of a two tone finish just like the T1 first announced in the 1950’s. There are eleven total options, seven of which are single-hue, and four two-tone ones. On two-tone models, the upper section, including the roof and V-shaped hood is finished in Candy White, while the areas below are one of Lime Yellow, Starlight Blue, Energetic Orange, or Bay Leaf Green.
There are modern touches all over this iconic remake like LED lights at the front and at the back where the taillights are connected by a coast-to-coast light strip, marking a first for a VW commercial vehicle.
Under the hood, the van is based on the Volkswagen MEB platform just like the ID 4 SUV, it also shares a lot of specifications with it as well as the dashboard layout. The dash has a 10-inch Digital Cockpit display in front of the driver, and an additional 10″ center-mounted infotainment system. A 12″ display with navigation is optional. Below the infotainment screen is a digital control bar where the AC module and the volume controls are located. There’s standard 10-color ambient lighting to keep up with the fun theme of the Buzz. Alternatively, owners can go for the optional system with 30 colors. USB ports are in plenty all around the car and fun winking smiley faces cover the screws around the cabin.
The van seats 5 people in the standard setup, with two seats at the front and three seater bench seat at the back. A six-seat version will be added with two rows of three individual seats. In the US, a seven-seater with a 2-3-2 seat arrangement in an extended wheel base version will be available. Vegan leather will be offered as an option. There are sliding doors in both sides of the rear passengers and on one side for the cargo version. A second sliding door is optional on the cargo version.
Powering the ID Buzz will be a single electric motor propelling the rear wheels with 201 horsepower (154 kilowatts) and 229 pound-feet (310 Newton-meters) of instant torque just like the VW ID.4. There will be a single 82.0-kWh (77.0 kWh net) battery whose range was not announced. However, it will support AC charging up to 11 kW, and DC charging via CCS up to 170 kW. When using such a fast charger, the level can rise from 5% to 80% in about 30 minutes. The Buzz van can power your house thanks to bidirectional charging, provided you get a special DC bi-directional wall box.
In terms of cargo space, with five people seated, the luggage capacity at the back is a whopping 1,121 liters (39.6 cu ft), and 2,205 liters with the second row of seats folded.
The ID. Buzz Cargo has a fixed partition after the first row and a total of 137.7 cubic meters of cargo space in the rear which is enough for two loaded euro pallets.
Both the Buzz and Buzz Cargo come with 18″ steel wheels as standard, and on the Buzz you’ll also get optional aluminum alloy rims from 18″ to 21″.
No pricing details have been released so far, but due to its larger dimensions, it should be slightly higher than the $40,760 of the ID 4 that shares most of its specifications.
