Break out the headbands and replica Woodstock tickets, because Volkswagen has finally launched a modern take on the classic Microbus. Called the “ID. Buzz,” it is an all-electric van whose design hearkens back to that instantly recognizable design while plowing ahead with notions of modern mobility.
And here’s the good news: it will be available in North America! Just not yet, and not exactly like this model. Allow us to explain.
Today’s unveiling follows years of concept vehicles and design studies which teased this type of machine all the way back to when we were worried about the Y2K bug. The vans shown in these images are the European models in passenger and cargo variants, which will go on sale this year. A long-wheelbase passenger model is promised for debut in the North American market in 2023, and will go on sale when the calendar flips into 2024.
Still, there’s much to learn from this Euro van (there’s your Driving.ca Easter egg) which can give us clues as to what we can expect in the machine that will be sold on this side of the pond. First versions for the European market will be equipped with an 82-kWh battery (that’s 77 kWh net) feeding a 201-horsepower electric motor driving the rear wheels. Peak torque is listed at 229 lb-ft of twist. It is yet unclear if this powertrain will be lifted wholesale for the variant planned to arrive in our country a couple of years from now.
Photo by VW
Photo by VW
Photo by VW
The 2023 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Photo by VW
Photo by VW
Photo by VW
VW is remaining tight-lipped for now about the driving range of this all-electric ID. Buzz, but it’s worth noting corporate cousin SEAT markets an Enyaq iV crossover which claims 331 miles (529 km) between charges of its 77-kWh battery. Like the ID. Buzz, that vehicle is also built on the company’s MEB EV platform, and offers a single 201-hp electric motor as one of its drivetrain options.
But few customers will be buying this rig solely for its range and power numbers. Rather, they’re far more likely to be smitten by its styling, which evokes the original Microbus without playing too much of a retro tune. “The ID. Buzz shows that it is successfully transferring the genes and stylistic elements of that iconic vehicle into the digital era,” explained Jozef Kabaň, Head of Volkswagen Design. Extremely short overhangs permit its wheels to be pushed out to the corners, maximizing interior space while keeping the vehicle’s footprint in check.
Photo by VW
Photo by VW
Photo by VW
Photo by VW
Photo by VW
Photo by VW
In fact, the European ID. Buzz – both the passenger and cargo versions – are just 185.5 inches long on a 117.6-inch wheelbase. That’s only five inches longer in total length than a VW ID.4, and nearly two feet shorter than a so-called ‘minivan’ in North America.
This helps explain why the ID. Buzz planned for our market will have longer dimensions and three rows of seats. At launch, the Euro bus will seat five people in the passenger variant; or a trio of people on a bench in the cargo configuration. Its overall height of 76.3 inches towers almost six inches more than a Toyota Sienna, contributing to cavernous interior dimensions.
Screens abound inside, with an opening bid set with a 10-inch Digital Cockpit display paired with a 10-inch infotainment system. The latter can be upgraded to a 12-inch touchscreen featuring navigation. Digital buttons and touch sliders reside below the infotainment display, used to regulate comfort items like ventilation temperature and audio volume. Gears are selected via a stalk on the steering column, USB ports are scattered around like rice at a wedding, and a too-cool modular centre console can be configured in a number of different ways.
Expect a palette of groovalicious colours on tap when the ID. Buzz enters production, including the likes of Lime Yellow and Energetic Orange. Bay Leaf Green and Candy White sound tasty, but are paint choices and not edible snacks. In a nod to sustainability, these paints are described as ‘organically based,’ while materials used for some interior trappings are hewn from recycled material. In particular, there will be a fabric made of Seaqual yarn, upholstery whose fibers consists of 10 per cent collected ocean plastic.
ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo models will be produced by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles at its main plant in Hanover beginning in the first half of 2022. The long-wheelbase models, bound for North America and Europe alike, will also pop out of this facility — Euro customers will get theirs about a year before ours show up in 2024.
Keyword: First Look: 2023 Volkswagen ID. Buzz