The romance of the Volkswagen Microbus makes us long for the vehicle that could take a group of people anywhere they wanted to go. During its heyday, the Microbus drove bands around the world, took adventurers to their favorite destinations, and served as cargo vans for anything we could imagine. Volkswagen is bringing back the Microbus in the form of the ID.Buzz. This new version arrives for the 2024 model year, giving us the feeling of nostalgia that we’ve missed since the Microbus disappeared.
The Volkswagen ID.Buzz officially debuts in Europe
VW ID.Buzz Interior | Inside EVs
It’s an electric version of the VW we admired from the 1960s and 1970s, giving us the best of two worlds. The original VW Microbus was often the symbol of peace, tranquility, and conservation. The new ID.Buzz takes the conservation aspect to another level with an all-electric powertrain. Now that Europe has this vehicle, we can’t wait for it to arrive in the United States.
Will the VW buzz be available in the US?
As reported by Motor1.com, the cargo version of the VW ID.Buzz will not arrive in America initially. We currently have several cargo vans, some of which use electric powertrains. The new cargo version of this van makes it ideal for travel on the tight streets in Europe. The version we’ll see in America is the passenger model of the new VW Microbus.
The concept model makes it to production for the ID.Buzz
Volkswagen ID.Buzz | Volkswagen
Generally, we admire an automaker taking a concept vehicle and turning it into the production model. It probably wasn’t too difficult for Volkswagen to understand what the automotive market clamored for in this vehicle. The 2017 concept model looks a lot like the production version. This new vehicle has similar dimensions, making it easy to see the resemblance to the original Microbus.
The platform allows variations of this Volkswagen
The Volkswagen ID.Buzz uses the MEB architecture, which is the electric platform developed by VW to bring us new electric vehicles. It’s the same platform underpinning the ID.4 electric SUV we currently see on the road. The versatility of this platform allows this new van to offer various lengths and configurations. Some models will have five seats across two rows, others offer seven seats, and the cargo versions in Europe have two seats and a large cargo space.
We know the power, but not the driving range of this EV
Power for the recently released European models comes from a single 82.0-kWh battery package and a single electric motor. This gives the ID.Buzz 201 horsepower and 229 lb.-ft. of torque. If these numbers sound familiar, they are the same numbers the ID.4 offers. VW isn’t ready to quote the driving range yet, we’ll have to wait for that information.
Plenty of tech for the Volkswagen ID.Buzz van
A white Volkswagen ID. Buzz concept interior | Volkswagen
Both cargo and passenger models of the ID.Buzz offer a standard 10-inch screen with a 12-inch model as an option. There are no less than five USB ports to keep devices charged, one of which resides in the rearview mirror. This could be the ideal spot for drivers to plug in and use their navigation system while driving.
The cargo model of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz could be useful
Even though we won’t see the cargo configuration when the ID.Buzz launches in the United States, we might receive it at a later date. Motor1.com tells us the European version has a cargo partition, a flat load floor, and its wide enough to fit two euro pallets in the rear. This van can carry 1,433 pounds in the 137.7 cubic-foot cargo space behind the partition. This could prove to be a good van for delivery services that want to use an electric vehicle.
Is anything different about the VW van we will see in the U.S.?
America is a vast country with lots of wide-open roads. Many automakers take advantage of this fact and build some vehicles larger for our market than other global markets. The Volkswagen ID.Buzz we see will be three inches longer than the ones offered in Europe. These additional inches are added to the wheelbase to give us a longer vehicle to enjoy on the road.
Now, you know the buzz about what Volkswagen brings with the new Microbus called the ID.Buzz.
Keyword: What’s the Buzz? Volkswagen Brings Back the Microbus With a New Name