A 15-window Volkswagen Deluxe Microbus from 1951 recently took the Best in Class award for Volkswagen Transporters at the Amelia Concours d’Elegance. The German automaker couldn’t miss this opportunity to shell out more information on the ID. Buzz for America, which is coming this coming summer as a 2024 model.
As per the press release attached below, the North American variant of the ID. Buzz will be revealed in California with a slightly longer wheelbase than its European counterpart. Reading between the lines, a larger battery and two-motor AWD are on the horizon.
Loosely inspired by the Volkswagen Type 2, the ID. Buzz is based on the German automaker’s MEB platform for electric vehicles. The “Modularer E-Antriebs Baukasten” was developed with both rear- and all-wheel-drive applications in mind. Also used by Audi, Skoda, and Cupra brands, the platform is currently used by C- and D-segment vehicles. The largest of the bunch is the ID. Buzz. Available as a panel van or a two-row passenger van, the zero-emission van currently sports rear-wheel drive and – get this – drum brakes out back.
The ID.3 hatchback and ID.4 crossover also use drum brakes for the rear axle, which is a little unusual at first glance. On the other hand, bear in mind that pads have a tendency to slightly drag on the rotors while coasting. Drum brakes don’t, and this reduction in drag results in better mileage. Do remember that regenerative braking also eliminates the need for discs out back, and the design of the emergency brake is also simpler. It’s easy to call Volkswagen a cheapskate, which it is considering the woeful interior plastics of its ID. vehicles, but drums are adequate for these applications.
As mentioned earlier, the Euro-spec ID. Buzz comes in two distinct specifications for the time being. The ID. Buzz Cargo panel van is available from 56,090.65 euros back home in Germany where it’s made, a starting price that converts to $59,170 at current exchange rates. The 82-kWh battery features a usable capacity of 77 kilowatt hours and powers a permanent magnet brushless motor.
The combined range as per the WLTP testing procedure is listed at 392 to 425 kilometers (244 to 264 miles), whereas charging from 5 to 80 percent takes around 30 minutes at a 170-kW DC fast-charging station. The slightly heavier passenger variant is 64,581.30 euros (68,105 dollars) in Germany and promises anything between 402 and 423 kilometers (250 and 263 miles).
The long-wheelbase ID. Buzz passenger van for North America is rumored with 111 kWh, captain chairs that turn around, and up to 339 pound-feet (460 Nm) of peak torque if the powertrain will be shared with the ID.4 GTX and ID.5 GTX. A GTX version of the ID. Buzz is under development as well, and the California will premiere in 2025 at the earliest, likely as a 2026 model.
By the way, if you want to learn more about the passenger version of the electric van, check out our 2023 Volkswagen ID. Buzz review or watch the video version below.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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