Volkswagen has revealed when the spiritual successor to its famous Kombi van will arrive in Australia and a few other surprises.
2024 Volkswagen ID.Buzz.
Volkswagen has confirmed it will launch five electric cars by the end of next year, including the ID.Buzz, a modern interpretation of the iconic Kombi van. There will also be a tradie focused version dubbed the ID.Buzz Cargo.
Head of VW commercial vehicles in Australia, Ryan Davies, believes locals will embrace the ID.Buzz.
The Volkswagen ID.Buzz has cool retro styling.
“The ID.Buzz is a people mover that stops traffic, people stop, stare and smile. It’s an incredible blend of style and function that will capture the imagination of Australians – and is reflected by our ambitious sales volumes,” says Davies.
“We expect the ID.Buzz Cargo to sell at least as well, and it’s incredibly appealing for sole traders who want to reduce their emissions in the most fun way possible. This is a proper, from the ground up tradies’ BEV – not a tacked on reverse engineering of an existing diesel vehicle.”
There will be a tradie focused version, too.
The ID.Buzz is expected to come with a price premium, meaning it might be more van life influencers than the laid back surfers and hippies of the past embracing the zero-emissions people-mover.
These two retro-styled vans will join the ID.3, a VW Golf sized hatchback that is expected to be sold for less than $60,000.
It’ll have a roomy and tech-focused cabin.
The ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs are also slated to arrive next year. The two are the same size but the ID.4 has conventional SUV styling and the ID.5 has a sloping coupe-like roofline.
Both pack a 77kWh battery that is good for more than 500km of electric driving range and boasts interior space similar to a much larger SUV matched to cute good looks.
The original ID.3 has been on sale in Europe for a number of years.
A single rear mounted electric motor makes 150kW/310Nm, enabling a sprint from 0-100km.h in 8.5 seconds.
They can also accept up to 125kW from a DC fast-charger, so a 10-80 per cent battery top-up takes 34 minutes. This is slower than key rivals.
Volkswagen has previously told News Corp Australia the Toyota RAV4-sized ID.4 will be priced about the same as the top-of-the-range petrol-powered Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI R-Line, which currently sells for about $64,000 drive-away.
A Volkswagen ID.4. Prototype vehicle was recently in Australia for testing.
If VW follows through on those price guides the electric cars would be eligible for several state incentives that would further reduce the price.
In a boon for Aussie buyers every Volkswagen dealership in the country will sell and service its electric cars from day one.
Michal Szaniecki, head of VW Australia’s passenger car division, says this is something start-up brands can’t match and the electric vehicles will deliver what buyers expect from the German brand.
VW has stated they plan to have price parity with teh ID.4 and Tiguan SUVs.
“Just as Australians have long expected that a Golf or Tiguan will lead their segment for premium feel and the most enjoyable driving characteristics, we’re ensuring the ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5 launch with these same attributes top of mind,” says Mr Szaniecki.
“Upgraded product such as the more premium ID.3 and a 500km-plus range for ID.4 and ID.5 will gel with our ability to sell these vehicles nationwide, no matter which dealership is closest to you. This is an advantage that not all start-up companies are able to match,” he says.
Keyword: Volkswagen to launch five new electric cars