On the early morning of March 10th, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz was officially unveiled in two versions, the 5-seat ID.Buzz and the 2-seat cargo version ID.Buzz Cargo.
The ID.Buzz pays great homage to the original T1 model in its exterior design. The bicolor exterior extends from the front of the car to the waistline, complemented by striking and colorful tones that embody the spirit of hippies.
Exterior Design
The ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargo have no significant differences in their overall appearance. The dimensions of the body are also almost identical, with a length, width, and height of 4,712 x 1,985 x 1,937 mm, and the Cargo model is 1 mm higher at 1,938 mm. The wheelbase of both cars is 2,988 mm.
It is worth mentioning that the ID.Buzz’s drag coefficient is only between 0.285 and 0.29, which is excellent for an MPV.
Perhaps the pictures do not give an intuitive impression, but the ID.Buzz is one whole round larger than the midsize SUV ID.6. With the electrification architecture of MEB, the overall size of the ID.Buzz is comparable to the Honda Odyssey, and its wheelbase is 88 mm longer than that of the Odyssey. The turning diameter also inherits the excellent tradition of MEB, which is only 11.1 meters.
The cargo version did not pursue a more exquisite design in the rear. The through-type light strip at the rear of the car was correspondingly removed. On the wheel hub, the Cargo version also uses the lower-cost steel wheel hub with a hubcap design.
To be honest, the wheel hub style on the ID.Buzz has a taste of Audi RS.
Interior Design
ID.Buzz’s interior design combines the stylish simplicity with the ID. series’ style.
The wooden decorative strip throughout the central air conditioning outlet on the center console adds a sense of layering to the interior, and I can even smell a hint of Nordic style in this German car.
The trim panels in the same color as the body and the white interior add vitality to the entire car. The exterior-matching trim panels are also a popular technique used by Volkswagen in recent years to change the general perception of Volkswagen’s traditional image.
Compared to ID.Buzz, Cargo’s interior design is more practical. Gone are the wooden and aluminum decorations, soft materials wrapping, and bright color combinations, as it seems to tell us that Cargo is born for practicality.
Interior Space
The newly released ID.Buzz is designed for 5 people, with a consistent layout of 2+3 as the previous road test model.
This leaves a very spacious trunk space, the tail space with 5 people fully loaded reaching 1,121 L, which is more than enough for a family trip and luggage for several days.
After folding down the second-row seats, it becomes Cargo’s cargo space, with a volume of up to 2,205 L. It is not only suitable for IKEA furniture but also moving.
Observant friends might have noticed that the “third row space” reserves armrests and cup holders. Later on, Volkswagen will launch a 2+2+2 six-seater version and a 2+3+2 seven-seater version.
Basic Hardware
ID.Buzz does not have many highlights in terms of hardware, and it still uses the rear motor with a maximum power of 150 kW and a maximum torque of 310 N·m on the MEB platform. This is thanks to MEB’s rear-drive platform, which again pays tribute to the rear-drive T1.
In terms of batteries, ID.Buzz is equipped with an 82 kWh battery, with an actual usable capacity of 77 kWh. According to the energy consumption of ID.4/6, the maximum cruising range of ID.BUZZ at full charge is about 500 km, and it will have some fluctuations with the change of temperature.
However, Volkswagen has made some improvements in charging power this time. The maximum charging power of ID.BUZZ is 170 kW, and the official statement shows that the energy replenishing time from 5% to 80% only takes 30 minutes.
Lastly
Volkswagen stated that ID.Buzz will be pre-sold in Europe in May this year and officially launched in the autumn. In addition, ID.Buzz will also be available in the US and Canadian markets, but there is no news about entering the Chinese market yet.
In the domestic market, the market for pure electric MPVs is gradually opening up. With the electrification process of various automakers, electric drive forms will also inject new vitality into MPVs. The electric MPV market this year will be particularly intense. In addition to Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz, Buick is also developing pure electric GL8. The Dream House of the next month’s Voyah will be launched soon, and Roewe iMAX 8 EV also landed in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology a while ago and is preparing to be launched. Let’s look forward to what kind of trend this year’s pure electric MPV will set off.
Source: Volkswagen Official
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.