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Ford Reveals the Maverick LoboThe Microbus Is Back: Volkswagen ID.Buzz Debut
Volkswagen is bringing back the classic microbus in the form of the all-electric ID.Buzz, quirks, whimsy, and character all intact.
From Flower Power to Electric Power
The classic Volkswagen Type 2/Microbus evokes images of beach bum surfers, their long boards crowding the roof rack or 1960s flower children flashing a peace sign as they pile into their VW bus to follow The Dead’s perpetual tour. The new all electric Volkswagen ID.Buzz leans hard into nostalgia for the original microbus, recreating the charms and carefree spirit of the original while giving it a thoroughly modern spin, starting with its all-electric propulsion.
What’s Unique About the North American ID.Buzz
While the ID.Buzz is already out in Europe, today’s North American debut differs from the European version in one significant way: for those of us here in the States, we get a long wheelbase version of the ID.Buzz, adding ten inches to the European spec version. Almost all of that length goes to cabin space and offering seating for up to seven passengers.
This extra space and mass mean the North American version of the ID.Buzz will also offer a dual-motor all-wheel drive version in addition to the standard single-motor rear-wheel drive version. The standard rear-wheel drive version will make 282 horsepower from a 210-kW motor and an 86-kWh battery pack. Volkswagen says this version will be capable of accelerating from zero to sixty-two mph in 7.9 seconds. The all-wheel drive version, the ID.Buzz GTX, boasts 330 horsepower and a run from zero to sixty in 6.4 seconds. Top speed will be electronically limited to 99 mph. Cruising, rather than sprinting, has always been the microbus’ MO. Still, it is nice to know the new ID.Buzz will not recreate the original’s “patient” pace of acceleration.
Volkswagen has yet to release official range numbers for either the rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive versions, but we estimate somewhere around 250 miles on a single charge. VW has, however, confirmed the ID.Buzz will have DC fast-charging capability, meaning around 25 to 30 min charge time.
Style as Well as Substance
Of course, the reason for bringing back the microbus is about more than Volkswagen having a boxy electric people mover in their lineup. Rather, the ID.Buzz is something of a brand halo car, reminding folks of the characterful VWs of old by bringing back a greater level of charm and uniqueness.
This starts with the ID.Buzz’s looks. The snubbed nose, breadbox shape of the VW microbus is preserved in the ID.Buzz, along with key references to the original. These include the bold VW emblem up front, illuminated in North American version. There are also faux intake air vents on the D-pillar. And then there is the host of two-tone paint schemes that include astonishing options like Cabana Blue, Mahi Green, Pomelo Yellow, and Energetic Orange in addition to the incognito Metro Silver and Indian Gray.
There are, of course, modern updates as well like the pair of power sliding rear doors which, like the power liftgate, can be activated by waving a foot under the door sill. The ID.Buzz rides on chic-looking 20-inch wheels. And in a direct reference to the classic Samba microbus, the ID.Buzz offers a massive panoramic sunroof complete with electromagnetic tinting as an option.
Interior Charms
Volkswagen has gone to great lengths to ensure the new ID.Buzz is as charming inside as it is outside. The ID.Buzz’s cabin is, therefore, retains what made the original microbus great to live with, a spacious and airy cabin with room enough to friends, family, dog, surfing buddies, their boards, college roommates, their dorm furniture….
The ID.Buzz will be offered in multiple design schemes, ranging from dark to light, with vintage wood accenting contrasting with modern, even futuristic flourishes. There are the usual suspects of heated, ventilated seats and ambient lighting, but also more surprising features like a removable center console.
The dashboard sports two screens, a digital gauge display and a sizable 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. There’s also wireless phone charging, USB ports aplenty, and a 110V outlet up front and a 12-volt outlet in the rear. Volkswagen’s suite of advanced safety features will come as standard on the ID.Buzz. Aside from the purely practical, the ID.Buzz has a number of cute Easter eggs like the little smiley faces behind the door handles and the pause/play emblems on the brake and throttle pedals.
The dashboard sports two screens, a digital gauge display and a sizable 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. There’s also wireless phone charging, USB ports aplenty, and a 110V outlet up front and a 12-volt outlet in the rear. Volkswagen’s suite of advanced safety features will come as standard on the ID.Buzz. Aside from the purely practical, the ID.Buzz has a number of cute Easter eggs like the little smiley faces behind the door handles and the pause/play emblems on the brake and throttle pedals.
Arriving Soon(ish)
At a time when every automaker and their brother (?) is busy resurrecting old nameplates to capitalize on nostalgia, the reinvention of the classic VW microbus as a modern EV feels like a logical, natural evolution. In fact, as a halo car for Volkswagen, the ID.Buzz stands to bring the stogy, conventional brand back to its roots as a builder of counter-culture icons.
Volkswagen says the new all-electric ID.Buzz will go on sale in North American in 2024.
