Volkswagen has just shown the world -and without any camouflage- its brand new ID. Buzz. The new electric van from the German firm will arrive in Spain at the end of 2022; And to whet your appetite, we present it to you in this video where you can see it inside and out, both in its family and passenger version and in the Combi variant intended for commercial use:
This new “zero emissions” model hits the market as an alternative to the Volkswagen Multivan and the T6.1 in its Transporter, Caravelle and California variants. Note the alternative, since this electric is not intended to replace but to complement the mentioned models.
With charm and plug
From the first glance, it is clear that the ID. Buzz is a compact van that has the usual proportions in the segment; and its dimensions corroborate it: it measures 4.71 meters long by 1.99 meters wide and 1.94 meters high, with a 2.99 meter wheelbase. By the way: the brand tells us that in 2023 a long-wheelbase model whose length has not yet been announced will be released.
The brand wanted to give it a retro look in the form of a warm tribute to the legendary Bulli. Saving the distances and its sense of aerodynamics, its wide, vertical and uncluttered front end is reminiscent of that of the T1 due to its central section in contrasting color and its large-format emblem in the center. From then on things have changed, as is made clear by its optics with LED technology and large-diameter wheels with rims between 18 and 21 inches.
A practical, spacious and modern interior
The driver’s position has a clear and pleasant design, very much in the Volkswagen ID style, to which it adds different color combinations that convey a cheerful spirit. The impression of quality is the same as in its family brothers: we will find a lot of hard plastic and apparently simple materials, but at least they give a feeling of robustness and good fit.
It shares with the rest of the ID models its same steering wheel, the same 5” digital mini-instrument panel and the same tablet-type central screen; only in the ID. Buzz its diagonal is 10 inches in the basic model and, optionally, 12”. What has changed is the gear selector, which is now integrated into the steering column. For the rest, having a high driving position and so much glass around us guarantees good visibility; And how could it be otherwise, we have different spaces within our reach to leave our little things.
The second row of seats is accessed through sliding doors located on each side of the vehicle. The bench is divided into two sections and each of them has longitudinal displacement, backrest adjustment and folding function. It would have been preferable to have three individual seats, even more so in such a spacious cabin and in a car that, after all, pretends to be a family minivan; but in any case, three people will travel with room to spare for the legs, shoulders and head.
What if we need more than 5 seats? In that case, we will have to wait until 2023. It will be then when a 6-seater configuration (with 3 rows of two seats each) is offered for this short-wheelbase body, and a 7-seater (with three rows in a 2+ arrangement). 3+2 seats) for the future long wheelbase model.
There is room for many suitcases… or packages
The tailgate opens vertically and is electrically operated (a double door is offered as an option for the ID.Buzz Cargo, intended for parcel delivery). The loading mouth, perfectly rectangular, places its sill just 62 centimeters from the ground.
The ID. Passenger Buzz offers 1,121 liters of capacity up to the tray with all 5 seats in use. For its part, the Cargo model renounces the second row of seats and puts at our disposal considerable space: its base measures 2.21 meters long by 1.73 m wide (which will be 1.23 m between the steps of wheel) and allows you to load two Euro pallets with total ease. Its 1.28 m height gives rise to a total volume of 3.9 cubic meters. If we want to access from the side of the vehicle, the sliding door on the right comes as standard; the one on the left is optional, as are the windows.
A single motor/battery assembly (for now)
What is common to all ID cars is the basis on which they are built. The Volkswagen Group’s MEB modular platform for electric vehicles will also bring this van to life; at the moment, with a single combination of motor and battery. The propeller of 150 kW of power (equivalent to 204 CV) is installed on the rear axle, which is the one that moves; There are no official acceleration figures but it is confirmed that the maximum speed is limited to 145 km/h and that its towing capacity is 1 ton.
The battery located under the floor has a net capacity of 77 kWh, has liquid cooling and is accompanied as an option by an efficient heat pump. The brand has not yet approved its autonomy, but estimates a value close to 400 km. The battery can be recharged in alternating current with up to 11 kW of power, while the maximum admitted in direct current will finally reach 170 kW. In such a case, it would only take half an hour to raise the charge level from 5% to 80%. In addition, the battery supports bidirectional charging and therefore allows to feed the home network.
What prices does the Volkswagen ID. Buzz?
At the moment, the brand has still not communicated the prices of its new electric van, but -and this is my personal opinion- I hope that some version can benefit from the Moves III plan whose limit is 45,000 euros before taxes.
What they have told us is when they estimate the arrival of their van to European markets. The Volkswagen ID. Buzz will begin to be manufactured at the German plant in Hannover during the first half of 2022; The opening of reservations will open in the month of May, and its arrival in the Spanish market is expected by the end of the year. And as I said at the beginning, the long-wheelbase body version will wait until 2023.
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