It’s confirmed! The microbus is back!
The car that was described at its debut in January as “the final temptation,” the iconic Volkswagen Microbus that mobilised the 60s will finally (finally) receive a successor. First shown to the world as the I.D. Buzz concept, it appears that Volkswagen’s nascent electric-vehicle subdivision has been given the full go-ahead to put the funky minivan into production.
This confirmation was given at the ongoing Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, with the words themselves coming out of the mouth of VW boss Herbert Diess:
“After the presentations at the global motor shows in Detroit and Geneva, we received a large number of letters and emails from customers, saying ‘please build this car.’ The Microbus has long been a part of the California lifestyle; now we’re bringing it back, reinventing it as an electric vehicle.” — Dr. Herbert Diess, Chairman, Volkswagen Group
While still some 5-years away from production, the Buzz has captured the attention and imagination of people around the world, as undoubtedly shown by the amount of interest that the concept has garnered since its first showing at the Detroit motorshow in January. It’ll hit showroom floors by 2022, powered by two motors powering the front and rear axles. Good for some 275kW of power, Volkswagen claims the 8-seater can rocket from rest to 100km/h in just five seconds, before hitting a limiter at 160km/h (a move done to protect the batteries).
With 11kWh’s worth of batteries under the floor, the ID Buzz claims to have a range of about 600km on a single charge, representing a 65-kilometre improvement over the last ‘new Microbus’ concept, the Budd-E. The batteries can reportedly be charged to 80% from nought in just half an hour, and should be good for 480-kilometres. The ID Buzz could, according to Volkswagen, be offered as a rear-wheel drive vehicle, employing just one 200kW rear-mounted electric motor.
And like any good ‘future car,’ the ID Buzz packs the very latest in autonomous driving technology, with a retractable touch-sensitive steering wheel that will allow drivers to engage ‘ID Pilot’ mode, VW’s self-driving system that is currently being developed, reported to hit the market in 2025.
The flat-floor afforded by the MED platform (fist seen under the ID hatchback) means that the cavernous ID Buzz can accommodate several different seating arrangements, as well as offer two luggage compartments (one at the rear, and one behind the nose). The Buzz is clearly an important car for the North American market, what with their style-conscious buyers and an endless stream of people trying to capture the flower-power soul of the 60s.
“We are delighted that our parent company has taken the decision to produce the I.D. BUZZ. This vehicle is the perfect balance between emotion, usability and sustainability, while also showcasing our technological leadership. The high seating position, cargo capacity, overall versatility and all-wheel drive option packaged into such an appealing design is just what our customers want from us. And it’s the perfect fit for the zero-emissions American lifestyle.” — Hinrich J. Woebcken, Chief Executive for North America, Volkswagen Group
So, 2022 then. Enough time to save up?
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