2024 Volkswagen ID Buzz electric microbus revealed: less flower, more power

The long-awaited debut of the Volkswagen ID Buzz is here. The ID Buzz is a recreation of the classic Type 2 Microbus, and it was unveiled at a virtual event on Wednesday.

The ID Buzz and its commercial equivalent, the ID Buzz Cargo, will arrive in Europe later this year, with a longer wheelbase version for US markets scheduled to make its debut in 2023 and go on sale here in 2024.

We don't know a lot about the price. The ID Buzz will be crucial in VW's transformational path from environmental sleaze to EV leader. The van will serve as a showcase for the company's MEB modular electric architecture, and it will be among the first electric vans marketed specifically with families in mind.

The van has been slightly updated from the concept form that first captured many people's imagination. The grille is larger than you would expect from an electric vehicle. The overall shape is taller and has sharper angles.

VW went so far as to offer the same Day-Glo lemon yellow two-tone paint scheme as an option for the original design. There are 11 color variations offered by VW.

The first European version of the ID Buzz will feature a battery pack with 81 kWh of energy capacity, 77 kWh of which is usable. The rear-axle motor will be able to put out over 200hp and over 200lb-ft of Torque. VW is limiting the van's top speed to just 90 mph, which is not an EV destined for the track. It shouldn't be too bad, since its ancestor could only hit 60 mph while cruising downhill.

VW isn't revealing the driving range, but all signs point to around 300 miles on a full charge. The charging power is 11 kilowatts. The ID Buzz's charging power increases to as much as 170 kilowatts at a DC fast-charging station. The VW ID 4 SUV takes eight minutes to charge, but VW claims the vehicle will charge from 5 to 80 percent in 30 minutes.

Plug and Charge is a standard that will be offered by the ID Buzz in the future, which will allow an EV to automatically identify and authorize itself to a third-party charging station on behalf of the owner.

Thanks to VW-subsidiary Electrify America, the ID Buzz should have enough charging support, with more than 670 charging stations across the US. VW has skin in the game when it comes to EV charging infrastructure, which will go a long way in persuading car owners away from the warm embrace of the combustion engine.

The European version of the van and its commercial equivalent can be used as a power source for other electrical devices or even a whole home with bi-directional charging. VW believes that the ID Buzz will eventually be used to smooth the electrical grid during times of peak demand.

The European ID Buzz won't be as large as other minivans on the market, with a wheelbase of only 118.6 inches. VW didn't reveal the size of the US version, but it will be longer when it goes on sale. The European version is 185.5 inches long, which is partly due to its short overhangs.

One of the defining characteristics of the ID Buzz will be the ultra- short overhangs. The VW ID 4 is 9 inches longer between axels than the van, but only 5 inches longer overall. The European version has more cargo area than the American one, with a total of 138 square feet. That is bigger than a Cadillac Escalade, so yeah.

VW is introducing a new form factor to the EV market. The hot hatch has come and gone, and the electric SUVs are currently in charge. They will soon be replaced by the trucks and luxury SUVs, which have proven to be American car buyers' preferred profile. There is a van in this mass of sizes and shapes. A microbus is not a minivan.

The original transporter, or the bus, was loved for its design and its spaciousness, but also for its practicality and the fact that it still is to this day.

You can see that spaciousness as soon as you step inside. The ID Buzz will have five seats that can be adjusted. The front seats can be moved up to 9.6 inches, the bench seat can be folded down or split 40:60, and the lengthways can be moved to a total of 5.9 inches.

Individual seats are arranged in three rows of two on the standard wheelbase. The seven-seat configuration will be available in a 1/3/2 arrangement. The cargo version of the ID Buzz will have an option for a single front seat and partition to separate the back storage area.

The cockpit of the ID Buzz is similar to the ID 4, with a 10-inch gauge cluster and a 10-inch centrally positioned infotainment system. It is possible to have a larger 12-inch display. The vehicle's software can be updated over the air and will support both Apple and Android Auto.

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VW is stressing the modularity of the ID Buzz's interior, with a completely portable andremovable center console. This option allows the center console to be a box that can be moved to the second row of seats. There is plenty of room inside for a lot of gadgets, but the tidiness potential is huge. The removal of the center console for a thorough cleaning will be a big selling point for families who often have to deal with dangerous levels of cracker crumbs in their car.

The ID Buzz will be one of VW's most sustainable vehicles, with a leather-free interior that utilizes recycled materials and a fabric made from 10 percent collected ocean plastic and 90 percent recycled PET bottles.

A lot of intelligence is going on beneath the surface of the ID Buzz. VW says that the Buzz Cargo will enable self-drive capabilities in Europe. The Buzz will not be fully self-sufficient until after the regular one is released. The VW Group expects it to be its first self-drive vehicle.

We have already seen images of the ID Buzz draped in high-tech sensors and hardware as a test vehicle in Germany. VW plans to launch a full-scale commercial ride-Hailing and delivery operation in Germany in the year 2025.

The ID Buzz will join the ID 3 hatch, ID 4 compact SUV, and soon-to-be-released ID 5 coupe as the newest member of VW's fast-growing lineup of electric vehicles. At some point in the future, China will also be getting an ID 6. The ID family includes concept versions of a large SUV and a dune buggy. Volkswagen's MEB modular electric vehicle platform is being used to build all of them.

The ID Buzz has to balance both sides in order to walk the tightrope. He said that it needs to be modern and exciting for people who haven't been around before.

The two-tone paint job, VW logo on the grille, and other cues are still there. He said it would be like the 80-20 split, with 20 percent nostalgia and 80 percent looking ahead.

So does that mean we will be getting an electric VW Beetle?