Volkswagen ID. Buzz all but confirmed for Australia

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo are all but locked in for a mid-2024 launch in Australia as the electric heroes of an expanding EV line-up – and Volkswagen believes they could drag buyers out of SUVs.

The modern interpretation of the legendary boxer-engined Kombi that still roams the country in the hands of backpackers, adventurers and enthusiasts could also be sold with the promise that any CO2 produced during production and distribution has been wholly offset.

The VW ID. Buzz only requires some box-ticking to be done over the next few weeks for it to be locked in for Australian release in about 18 months.

Volkswagen Australia has imported two of the retro-infused vans – a five-seat people-mover and a three-seat wagon – to build excitement ahead of the ID. Buzz’s official arrival.

They were shown at a recent end-of-year media event to showcase new arrivals.

“The business case is fundamentally approved,” says Volkswagen Australia commercial vehicles director Ryan Davies. “There’s no reason why it wouldn’t happen.”

Davies said the final hurdle for the ID. Buzz is getting sign-off for “technical elements”.

“Once we get that technical approval – which hopefully will come before Christmas – then the next challenge will be availability of production.”

Landing enough examples of the ID. Buzz in the country is the bigger challenge, because Volkswagen is already dealing with lengthening queues in Europe for the stylish electric wagons.

“We do have high volume aspirations for these cars but we’re not going to be able to realise them in the short-term given the global [demand and associated supply] position,” says Davies.

“When we do get converted as a market for ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo, the first year or so you’ll see volumes that probably don’t represent what the true opportunity is for those vehicles – and that’s just purely a consequence of the global demand for these cars being so significant.”

But Volkswagen has longer-term visions of the ID. Buzz twins playing significant sales roles within their respective market segments.

“There’s going to be some 40,000 vans sold in the market every year,” says Davies. “So it’s our job to come in and take a good slice of the market.”

Key to the ID. Buzz’s appeal is its design – something Volkswagen believes could change perceptions of people-movers.

“We think there will be a high proportion of people moving from SUVs into these vehicles,” says Davies.

“The benefit of this car is that you’ve got iconic design and a style that actually says something about you as a person and something you can be proud to drive. This car offers you the chance to do it with a bit more pizazz and soul.”

When it arrives here, Volkswagen says the ID. Buzz people-mover will be available as a five-seater and a longer wheelbase seven-seater (the latter is yet to be revealed).

The ID. Buzz Cargo – the load-carrying commercial van – will come with two- and three-seat configurations arranged in a single row, with the potential for a second row of seats in some variants.

Davies says small businesses have shown early interest and that there has been “big interest from large fleets as well”.

The ID. Buzz will be offered with the choice of single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain configurations.

Riding on the MEB dedicated-EV architecture that also underpins the ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5 electric vehicles – all of which are on their way Down Under, kicking off with the ID.4 and ID.5 in late 2023 – the ID. Buzz has a skateboard-like architecture packed with batteries.

Another feature Volkswagen is hoping to spruik is CO2 neutrality.

“In Europe the ID. Buzz is actually handed over to the customer on a CO2-neutral basis,” says Davies, adding that “our goal is to offer that same solution here”.

“We’d love to be able to say to our customers when we hand that car over to them in-dealership in Australia that it’s a CO2-neutral car.”

He says the company will investigate how to offset the emissions created during shipping and Australian delivery.

“The car would be delivered to the port in Bremerhaven [Germany] CO2-neutral… we then have to work out how we conquer the rest of the journey from shipping to local transport movements here,” said Davies.

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