UPDATE: The new Volkswagen ID. Buzz has been revealed. Check it out here.
When Volkswagen launched the new MEB platform as the foundation of their pivot to electric mobility, they promised us a range of fun electric vehicles would be built on it. Thus far in America, things have skewed more toward conventional crossovers than zany electric dune buggies. But after years of teasing, VW is finally about to launch a more exciting model: the ID. Buzz, an electric tribute to the classic VW Microbus.
When will the ID. Buzz arrive in America? What will it look like? How much range and power will it have? Here's what we know so far.
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When will the VW ID. Buzz launch?
VW
Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess announced that the company would unveil the ID. Buzz on March 9th. The first public appearance of the van will come shortly thereafter at Austin, Texas's South by Southwest festival, running from March 11–20, as part of VW's new partnership with SXSW.
Volkswagen says there will be seven solid color paint options and four two-tone with white options. A VW teaser shows that two-tone color scheme carries through into the interior. The front end should feature a similar horizontal light bar to the ID. 4.
Will the ID. Buzz have all-wheel drive?
Volkswagen
Yes, it should. We know the ID. Buzz will run on the MEB platform like the ID.4 crossover. VW listed an output of 369 horsepower for the initial ID. Buzz concept, but the production ID. Buzz may track with the ID.4 and Audi Q4 E-Tron, offering a 200-horsepower rear-wheel drive model and a 300-ish hp dual-motor AWD one.
How much range will the ID. Buzz have?
VW
Volkswagen listed 372 miles of NEDC range — which would work out to around 260 miles by EPA testing — for the ID. Buzz concept. A safe bet would be somewhere in the 230-250-mile range, as with the ID.4 crossover. The RWD model would likely offer a bit more than the AWD model.
The electric VW van will be different in America
VW
Europeans will get a range of ID. Buzz vehicles, with both short and long wheelbases and both commercial and passenger versions. (There will even be self-driving versions...eventually.) Americans, however, will only get the premium long-wheelbase passenger model.
It’s not clear whether that specific model will come to America — never say never. But if not, the ID. Buzz should come with a wide range of camper van-friendly accessories.
