Volkswagen ID Buzz Electric Retro Van for Modern Adventures

The electric Kombi has arrived! 2023 Volkswagen ID Buzz people mover and van revealed with retro exterior design but new zero-emissions power

Volkswagen has brought the Kombi back to life with the reveal of the ID Buzz, a new all-electric model thats available as a people mover or a van, with the latter dubbed Cargo.

The ID Buzz has been a long time coming, having been teased in concept form all the way back in January 2017, and thankfully for fans, not a lot has been in the transition to series production.

That means the ID Buzz channels the iconic Kombi of yesteryear with its distinctive exterior design, which is also heavily linked to other members of Volkswagens emerging ID family, including the ID.3 small hatchback and ID.4 mid-size SUV.

Its inside, though, where the influence of the ID Buzzs is most apparent, as evidenced by the shared touch-sensitive steering wheel, small digital instrument cluster and floating touchscreen multimedia system. Its also free of any genuine leather.

Riding on Volkswagens proliferating MEB platform, the ID Buzz uses a 150kW rear-mounted electric motor and an 82kWh lithium-ion battery (77kWh usable).

Charging-wise, 11kW AC charging with a Type 2 plug is supported alongside 170kW DC fast charging with a Type 2 CCS port The latter can increase battery capacity for five to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes. Bi-directional charging (V2L) is also on hand.

Of note, the people mover is available with five seats across two rows, with its boot offering 1121L of cargo capacity, although it can expand to 2205L with the rear bench stowed.

The Cargo offers two or three seats in the first row, with a fixed partition behind it separating the cabin from the load area, which has a volume of 3.9 cubic-metres enough space for two transversally loaded euro pallets.

For reference, both the people mover and Cargo measure 4712mm long (with a 2988mm wheelbase), 1985mm wide and 1937-1938mm tall. Their turning circle is 11.1m.

Deliveries of the ID Buzz will begin in some European markets in late 2022, but would-be Australian buyers shouldnt hold their breath as its yet to be locked in for a local launch.

As reported, Volkswagen Australia is hoping to introduce its first ID model/s in 2023, with the aforementioned ID.3 and ID.4 all but confirmed to be the first cabs off the rank. Stay tuned.

Volkswagen has officially introduced the new ID. Buzz GTX, a powerful and electric version of its famous and classic van. With a retro-modern design and options for short or long wheelbases, the Buzz GTX offers a robust look with subtle details, such as larger wheels and a new paint color.

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Inside, the vehicle features an environment characterized by dark tones and red details, electric seats with memory, and a state-of-the-art entertainment system.

As for performance, the Buzz GTX comes with two electric motors producing 335 horsepower, providing acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in about 6.5 seconds and a maximum speed of 160 km/h.

The ID. Buzz GTX combines the nostalgia of classic design with advanced electric technology, promising to be an interesting option for those seeking a spacious and powerful van with zero emissions.

The launch is scheduled for the summer of 2024, bringing a new option to the high-performance electric vehicle market.

Fonte: Car Magazine

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Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB is a retro, seven-seat electric MPV

A seven-seater version of the Volkswagen ID. Buzz has been unveiled, almost a year after the launch of the five-seat model and its Cargo panel van counterpart.

Dubbed the Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB, this new version joins a growing number of electric seven-seaters, which currently range from the likes of the Citroen e-Berlingo all the way to the Tesla Model X.

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Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but you can expect the larger LWB model to incur a sizeable uplift over the standard ID. Buzzs 58,135 starting price. Volkswagen says the ID. Buzz LWB will go on sale in Europe in 2024, likely spearheaded by an all-bells-and-whistles 1st Edition model.

In case you werent aware, LWB stands for Long Wheelbase the distance between the front and rear wheels of a vehicle. For the LWB model, this measurement has grown by 250mm for a total vehicle length of 4,962mm.

This extra space allows for three different seat configurations: customers can order a five-seater variant with a massive boot, a six-seater with captains chairs in the middle row and a seven-seater with a traditional three-person bench seat in the centre.

Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB: battery, range & performance

Despite its extra length, the ID. Buzz LWB shares its MEB underpinnings with the regular ID. Buzz, as well as the Audi Q4 e-tron and Skoda Enyaq iV, plus the forthcoming Ford Explorer and Cupra Tavascan.

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Another benefit of having a larger footprint is the ability to fit a larger battery; as standard, the LWB gets the same 77kWh battery as the normal ID. Buzz. However, customers can also step up to a beefier 82kWh battery which, according to Volkswagen, creates an even longer range boosting the standard Buzzs 258-mile maximum to (we expect) around 300 miles.

Opting for the larger battery also nets you a more powerful 285bhp electric motor, which can propel the electric passenger van from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds; models specified with the 77kWh battery get a less-powerful 201bhp for a 0-62mph time of 10.2 seconds.

Though unconfirmed, cheaper Pure versions of the standard ID. Buzz are expected to come later down the line, and will probably feature either a 45 or 58kWh battery for a range close to 200 miles. On the other end of the spectrum, a high-performance GTX version with as much as 335bhp and a 0-62mph time of 6.4 seconds is coming soon, too, with the brand teasing the upcoming four-wheel-drive performance MPV at a conference in Germany last year.

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Rapid charging is supported at speeds up to 170kW, which should allow customers to top up the 77kWh battery from 5-80% capacity in close to 30 minutes from a fast enough public charger. Fully recharging the battery from a standard 7.4kW home wallbox is likely to take over 12 hours.

Interior and technology

The ID. Buzzs closeness to the ID.3 and ID.4 is clear when you take a look at the cabin. It features the same touch-sensitive climate controls and steering-wheel buttons as those cars. You also get a 5.3-inch digital drivers display and 10-inch central infotainment touchscreen as standard, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (optional on the Cargo). Volkswagen says the ID. Buzz LWB will be offered with a larger 12.4-inch infotainment display previously only available on the limited-run 1st Edition model as well as a head-up display, too.

VW has also fitted an evolution of its column-mounted twist-and-go gear selector, along with a litany of USB-C charging ports and storage areas around the cabin, plus a compartment below the infotainment screen with two cupholders. The MPV model also gets ambient lighting and the interactive ID.Light across the dash, which changes colour in certain situations, turning red when warning of a possible hazard, for example.

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One thing you wont find in the ID. Buzz is leather, as VW has chosen to use several recycled or vegan materials for the upholstery and other components. One of these, called Seaqual yarn, consists of 10% collected ocean plastics and roughly 90% recycled plastic bottles. The higher-spec Style (as well as the now-discontinued 1st Edition) comes with bright two-colour schemes to help set it apart from the entry-level car.

The ID. Buzz also gets an array of driver-assistance technology and can be equipped with the latest version of the brands Travel Assist semi-autonomous system. In fact, top-spec versions of the ID. Buzz feature more than 30 such systems and can receive over-the-air (OTA) software updates from VW as well.

Equipment, trim levels, options and prices

As mentioned, pricing for the LWB model has not been announced, but the standard five-seater Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric minibus is already on sale from 58,915, with the ID. Buzz Cargo van starting from 46,621.

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The five-seat ID. Buzz passenger model is available in Life and Style specifications a lineup thatll likely be mirrored by the LWB variant when it arrives next year. The ID. Buzz Cargo comes in Commerce and Commerce Plus trims.

Standard kit on the ID. Buzz Life (58,915) includes LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels, sliding rear doors, a 40:60 split-folding rear bench, armrests for the front seats, a 5.3-inch digital drivers display, a 10-inch touchscreen, smartphone connectivity, keyless start, reversing camera, traffic-sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking (AEB), among other safety systems.

Upgrading to Style (63,715) adds 20-inch alloys, ambient lighting, stainless steel 'Play' and 'Pause' pedals, a powered tailgate, matrix LED headlights and two-tone cloth upholstery.

Customers also get a choice of four two-tone paint finishes for 2,790, which combine a Candy White roof and V-shaped bonnet with either Lime Yellow, Starlight Blue, Energetic Orange or Bay Leaf Green for the rest of the bodywork.

Prices for the ID. Buzz Cargo start from 48,421 (40,360 excluding VAT). Entry-level ID. Buzz Cargo Commerce models come with LED daytime running lights, front and rear parking sensors and the same 10-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto found on cheaper versions of the minibus. Three seats are standard, with a heated drivers seat.

Commerce Plus starts from 53,521 (44,610 excluding VAT) and comes with a heated windscreen, keyless entry, and sat-nav for the 10-inch screen. That screen also features a reversing camera, and every Commerce Plus model features safety kit such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Assist, Side Assist and Travel Assist.

Both versions of the Cargo van get a 3.9 cubic metre load area, plus a partition with a fixed window and load-through hatch. The Buzz can also tow up to 1,000kg using the optional tow bar. You get one sliding door as standard, but a second on the drivers side can be specified as an optional extra.

Hello there, Im Tom Jervis and I have the pleasure of being the Content Editor here at DrivingElectric. Before joining the team in 2023, I spent my time reviewing cars and offering car buying tips and advice on DrivingElectrics sister site, Carbuyer. I also continue to occasionally contribute to the AutoExpress magazine another of DrivingElectrics partner brands. In a past life, I worked for the BBC as a journalist and broadcast assistant for regional services in the east of England constantly trying to find stories that related to cars!