What’s this?
This is the ID.Buzz, Volkswagen’s all-electric retro-inspired tribute to the old T2 Microbus, the quintessential hippie van. To say that this is long-awaited is an understatement — the design for a ‘Bulli’ replacement was first seen back in 2001 as the Microbus concept, and the styling of the soon-to-be-launched electric model owes a lot to that. The ID.Buzz is really rather a big vehicle, being considerably larger than the VW ID.4 and only marginally smaller than the outgoing Volkswagen Caravelle van. It will be available in passenger and commercial versions from launch.
What are its rivals?
Internally, the ID.Buzz’s biggest rival comes in the form of the new VW Multivan, which, with its diesel and plug-in hybrid power options, makes it attractive for those not yet willing or able to make the electric switchover. Other rivals in the electric people-carrier segment include the Citroën e-SpaceTourer, Peugeot e-Traveller and Mercedes EQV.
Any tech info?
The ID.Buzz shares its digital instrument cluster with the VW ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5, as well a centrally-mounted touchscreen and the rather disappointing touch-sensitive door controls that have been carried over from other ID models. The ID.Buzz will be capable of receiving over-the-air software upgrades and will be available with features such as bi-directional charging and Plug & Charge which means it can communicate with chargers via the cable allowing the driver to pay for the top-up automatically.
What’s the range like?
The ID.Buzz is based on the same MEB platform as the ID.3 and ID.4 and features, for now, an 77kWh (usable) battery powering a single 204hp electric motor driving the rear wheels. Range, it is estimated, is around 400km between charges. A more powerful 299hp ID.Buzz GTX model will also arrive in due course, as will other battery options. For starters, there’ll only be a five-seater with a fairly massive 1,121 litres of luggage space, though a seven-seater is coming down the line.
Expectations?
The ID.Buzz will go on sale later in 2022, probably from just under €60,000. Its interesting looks and high level of spec notwithstanding, that’s quite expensive for a vehicle of this type in this segment of the market. Rather than targeting buyers of vehicles such as the Peugeot e-Traveller, however, VW may be keeping its fingers crossed that the high driving position and commodious interior may just tempt a few SUV drivers over to what promises to be a more practical family car.