Who: German giant, VW
What: The Kombi for a new generation
When: 2024 (possible)
Why: Because some things never go out of style
Volkswagen’s future looks a lot like its past.
The German brand has revealed the production version of the ID.Buzz, its all-electric people mover inspired by the original Kombi. It was first revealed way back in 2017 as a concept and the reaction was so positive the company decided to make it a production reality.
It’s part of a wider plan from Volkswagen to add some excitement to its EV future with funky concepts like the ID.R prototype race car that conquered Pikes Peak and the ID.Buggy that harked back to 1960s dune buggies.
Ralf Brandstätter, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars said the clear design links back to the Kombi (which was officially known as the Bulli) is a deliberate attempt to get customers excited about EVs.
“The ID.Buzz is a genuine icon for the electric era,” Brandstätter said. “A car, the likes of which only Volkswagen can build. In the 1950s, the Volkswagen Bulli stood for a new feeling of automotive freedom, independence and great emotion. The ID.Buzz picks up on this lifestyle and transfers it into our time: emission-free, sustainable, fully networked and now ready for the next big chapter: autonomous driving.”
The ID.Buzz and its commercial van sibling, the ID.Buzz Cargo, are based on the same modular EV platform that underpins the ID.3 hatch and ID.4 SUV, known as ‘MEB’. The ID.Buzz has a single electric motor, mounted on the rear-axle, that provides 150kW of performance.
The battery is an 77kWh lithium-ion type and features Vehicle-to-Home capability, which means it can push energy from the batteries into your home’s electrical system; assuming you have the correct bi-directional wall-box installed.
Inside, Volkswagen claims there is comfortable space for five people plus 1121-litres of luggage capacity in the ID.Buzz, which can be expanded up to 2205L if the second row seats are stowed.
In the ID.Buzz Cargo the rear compartment can accommodate two Euro pallets
While confirmed to hit European showrooms before the end of 2022, there’s no clear timeframe for when the ID.Buzz will make it down under. Volkswagen Australia has long expressed its interest in offering more EV models but is initially focused on getting the more mainstream ID.3 and ID.4 into its showrooms.
However, given the appeal of the ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargo it’s likely they could be added in the near-future.
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