Volkswagen’s retro-themed ID. Buzz is nearly here.
We still have a year-and-a-bit to wait, but the Volkswagen ID. Buzz is on its way to production. It first made headlines all the way back at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, and has since been iterated and developed upon. According to a new Car and Driver report quoting the automaker’s European Commercial Vehicles Division head Carsten Intra, we should see the modern interpretation on Volkswagen’s iconic bus in calendar year 2023 here in the U.S.
Over in Europe, the fact that VW’s Commercial Division head had this talking point foreshadows the van’s cargo variant that will go on sale alongside the passenger version. The U.S. market will likely see a smaller lineup, limited to a decently equipped version and a more luxurious and expensive one. The entry-level model will likely share its powertrain with the Volkswagen ID. 4 crossover.
If that is indeed the case, we’ll see a single electric motor at the rear putting out around 200 horsepower. All-wheel drive versions, for their part, will manage a more gutsy 300 horsepower. Again, if the van follows the trajectory set by the ID.4, we can expect the ID. Buzz to land somewhere in the 200 to 250-mile spectrum on range.
Volkswagen will build the ID. Buzz at its Hannover, Germany plant, situated about 35 miles from Wolfsburg. Pricing is nowhere near official yet, but I’d expect it to start somewhere under $50,000.