Volkswagen ID. Buzz revealed

It has taken five years and much gnashing of teeth, but the silver-bullet Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric van and people-mover is finally a real thing.

While we have already driven both the passenger-focused 2022 Volkswagen ID. Buzz wagon and the commercial ID. Buzz Cargo variants in prototype form, the two Volkswagen EVs have broken the mould by arriving already carbon-neutral.

VW insists it has taken every step to absorb any embedded carbon in the manufacture of the rear-drive, 150kW battery-electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz before its customers have even turned a wheel.

It will sit alongside the T7 Volkswagen Multivan in European showrooms, and the T6.1 Caravelle and Transporter, giving customers a three-pronged van choice.

Volkswagen Australia has confirmed it wants to offer both versions of the ID. Buzz in our market, along with the longer-wheelbase, three-row people-mover version that is headed for the US, as well as the California camper version.

“Buzz is actively sought by Volkswagen for its Australian portfolio, as are several key ID models,” a spokesperson said.

“Those discussions are ongoing. Customers are keenly awaiting IDs and we hope to announce firm dates shortly.”

The base price of the ID. Buzz passenger variant is €63,000 ($A99,000) in Germany, which makes it about €6000 (let’s call it $10,000) more than the hybrid version of the upcoming T7 Transporter.

While production has already begun, the ID. Buzz isn’t expected in European customer hands until September at the earliest – and the war in Ukraine, where a significant amount of Volkswagen Group wiring is made, could push that back even further.

Unveiling the ID. Buzz overnight, the head of Volkswagen Design Jozef Kaban said: “The ID. Buzz brings a lot of endearing charm and affinity with people back onto the road.

“In the T1 [the original Kombi] you are practically sitting on top of the front axle – there’s no front overhang. While providing everything of relevance to safety and technology, the ID. Buzz has wonderfully short overhangs.”

It translates its 2988mm wheelbase into an overall length of 4712mm – making it shorter than both the T6.1 by 192mm. At 1985mm wide, it’s also wider than the T6.1 and easily turns inside the front-drive, combustion-powered van.

The ID. Buzz will whip around a circle in 11 metres, or about the same as a Volkswagen Golf hatchback.

Both European versions of the Volkswagen ID. Buzz will arrive with a 77kWh lithium-ion battery (which has a gross 82kWh energy capacity), and can be charged at up to 170kW, which will boost the charge level from five to 80 per cent in just half an hour.

There will be a 111kWh battery option for the longer-wheelbase, three-row version and a smaller battery pack will be available for the ID. Buzz Cargo to help increase its payload.

The 150kW brushless APP 310 permanent-magnet electric motor sits on the rear axle with its single-speed transmission and, as far as Volkswagen is concerned, this is the only powertrain option.

The ID. Buzz’s single motor generates 310Nm of torque, and Volkswagen limits the top speed to 145km/h. It doesn’t claim a 0-100km/h time.

Volkswagen has still not confirmed the range of the ID. Buzz, but it should be around 400km for the standard-wheelbase versions and add another 200km or so for the 111kWh long-wheelbase variant.

There is also a much simpler plug-and-play charging set-up for public systems, with the ID. Buzz authenticating itself at compatible quick-charging plugs at the connector via the ISO-15118 encrypted standard, swapping any necessary information including payment details.

Volkswagen is also offering to take back the high-voltage batteries at the end of the ID. Buzz’s lifespan and refurbish them for a second lifecycle as domestic or industrial power storage.

The car-maker guarantees the battery life for eight years or 160,000km, and it can charge bi-directionally through one of the range of wallboxes it has engineered for the vehicle.

Based on the same Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB) platform as the Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4 and ID.6, the ID. Buzz will launch as either a five-seat passenger machine or with a choice of two or three seats in the Cargo version.

Even with its five seats fully occupied, the ID. Buzz wagon will retain 1121 litres of luggage capacity, which bumps up to 2205 litres with the rear seats folded down.

The Cargo lifts this again, with enough load space for two pallets and 3.9 cubic metres of space, along with six tie-down hooks and running rails to secure up to 650kg of freight.

It has a fixed partition between the cabin and the cargo area, which has lashing rails on each wall. It also ditches the second sliding door of the standard ID. Buzz, leaving it with just a footpath-side door, though the second door can be brought back in as an option.

The EV is a bigger machine than the T6.1 or the T7 combustion-powered Volkswagens, and it slides through the air more efficiently, with a 0.285Cd drag coefficient for the standard ID. Buzz, or 0.29Cd for the Cargo.

There is no news from Volkswagen on whether the Cargo’s bench front seat option will be available in the passenger version, which would take it out to a six-seater.

So the passenger ID. Buzz remains with two front seats, which can be optioned to captain’s chairs (with fold-down arm rests), and a removable centre console that’s perhaps unwisely dubbed the “Buzz Box” by Volkswagen.

It comes with 1.4 litres of capacity, a five-litre drawer area for, well, stuff, and an integrated bottle opener and ice scraper.

There is also a large, lidded area beneath the infotainment system with two cup holders, and they’re easily reached from the front seats that slide 245mm fore-aft and have 61.5mm of height range.

The rear seat, which we found disappointingly uninteresting and flat, holds three people, and it can be folded down into the floor as a whole, or in 60/40 increments.

It also has 150mm of sliding fore-aft adjustment to create either more cargo space or more legroom.

The Buzz forgoes leather trim in favour of more eco-friendly materials. It joins Volkswagen’s Cupra offshoot in using materials from the Seaqual Initiative, employing fibres that are 90 per cent recycled PET materials and 10 per cent from plastics recovered from the oceans and seas.

 “The ID. Buzz is timeless, sustainable and yet also extremely functional – that makes it unique,” said Kaban.

“At the same time, it shows that it is successfully transferring the genes and stylistic elements of that iconic vehicle into the digital era.”

The driver of Volkswagen ID. Buzz sees a 5.3-inch display in front to keep it simple, but there is another 10.0-inch standard screen in the centre of the dash.

Volkswagen can option this up to 12 inches with the Discover Pro navigation set-up, though the passenger version’s standard unit already has a permanent internet connection, an app-connect system for smartphone integration and DAB digital radio.

It looks and feels like a floating tablet, mounted vertically, with an airy space beneath it housing a control bar filled with touch sliders for the temperature and volume controls and digital buttons to shortcut the infotainment menus for air-conditioning, assistance systems, driving modes and parking aids.

Its automatic transmission controls are on the steering column, and they’re limited to simple N for neutral, D for drive and R for reverse. Otherwise, you just turn it off and leave it.

There are up to eight USB-C ports in the passenger version, including one in the rear-vision mirror’s mount, and an inductive smartphone charger.

There are USB-C ports in the two sliding rear doors as well, while the Cargo makes do with five ports.

Besides airbags in the steering wheel and dashboard, the ID. Buzz also mounts side airbags into the backrests of the front seats, and the driver’s seat has a centre airbag to prevent the front occupants hitting their heads together in the event of a crash.

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