Pros
- All-electric drivetrain
- Versatile interior
- Distinct styling
- Use of sustainable materials
Cons
- Initial version doesn’t have much power
- All-wheel drive not yet available
What’s new?
- The ID. Buzz Microbus is an all-new, all-electric minivan
Price: We expect 2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz pricing to start at around $ 45,000 when it goes on sale in North America in 2024.
The 2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Microbus is a brand-new, all-electric minivan with seating for up to seven and a range of about 275 miles.
Since the new ID. Buzz will no doubt attract interest as a family vehicle, potential buyers will be caring about the future and how it might look for their kids. Volkswagen is using sustainable materials for the cabin, including recycled plastic retrieved from the sea. So it’s already making the world a slightly better place.
The ID. Buzz Cargo
Volkswagen
The company also employs batteries that do not use cobalt, an element with troublesome sourcing issues regarding environmental impact and working conditions. VW VWAGY, -0.51% even has a facility that recycles high-voltage batteries after they’re no longer suitable for automotive applications.
Based on the same platform as the VW ID.4 and Audi e-tron electric SUVs, the ID. Buzz Microbus pays homage to the old VW bus (the Type 2) while pointing toward the future by using an electric drivetrain.
At the time of compiling this review, Volkswagen had yet to release pertinent facts like pricing and range for versions sold in the U.S. We’ll make updates when more information becomes available.
More: Electric van, anyone? Here’s what’s out there now, and coming soon
2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz pricing
We expect the 2024 VW ID. Buzz Microbus to start in the region of $ 45,000. We also anticipate some kind of complimentary charging scheme like the one offered with the ID.4 electric SUV, which is three years of unlimited 30-minute sessions on the Electrify America network.
The VW ID. Buzz
Volkswagen
A federal tax credit of up to $ 7,500 should offset the initial purchase price, plus any state incentives. For example, California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate program offers $ 2,000 to anyone leasing or buying a new electric vehicle.
There aren’t any apples-to-apples rivals, but buyers might also be interested in the VW ID.4 compact SUV, or the Kia EV6 in the same kind of price bracket.
Before buying, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to find out what others in your area paid for their new ID. Buzz electric minivan. It’s too soon to talk about resale values.
The VW ID. Buzz seats up to seven, and has folding/removable seats.
Volkswagen
Driving the 2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Using the European-spec ID. Buzz electric minivan as a reference, the base model is expected to send 201 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque — generated by a single electric motor — just to the rear wheels. The great thing about the basic design of this vehicle is that there’s a lot of floor space, which is exactly where the battery is stored.
Having something that weighty set low in the body works wonders for the center of gravity and should make the ID. Buzz feel both stable and agile for its size.
A dual-motor version with all-wheel drive should be available at some point. In the absence of any official figures regarding range, a reasonable guess would be around 275 miles. The ID.4 SUV also has a 77-kWh battery and an electric motor with the same output as this ID. Buzz, and can cover 280 miles.
Interior comfort
In other parts of the world, the 2024 ID. Buzz Microbus will be available with a standard or extended wheelbase, but the longer version is the only size coming to the U.S., offering seating for up to seven occupants. As any decent minivan should have, the new ID. Buzz has a versatile interior with folding/removable seats.
A 10-inch digital driver information display and a 10-infotainment touchscreen are both attached to the dashboard as if they were tablets — which is the modern way. Ten-color ambient LED lighting is standard.
An optional movable/removable center console is also offered, bringing extra beverage holders and a drawer for tablets or a laptop computer.
No leather is used in the ID. Buzz. The steering wheel is wrapped in a convincing simulation. Upholstery, carpets, and the headliner are made from materials using recycled plastics, with 10% of those plastics taken out of the ocean.
Exterior styling
The styling of the new ID. Buzz minivan is evocative of the old VW Microbus, right down to optional 2-tone color schemes with a white upper section. This retro approach makes the ID. Buzz a different animal in the world of electric vehicles.
Those short overhangs help maximize interior space within a compact footprint. And having the wheels so far into the corners enhances the feeling of stability. The wheels, by the way, are offered in sizes from 18 to 21 inches in diameter.
Volkswagen says the paints used are “organically based.” There may be a different palette for American buyers, but folks across the Atlantic can choose from Candy White, Lime Yellow, Energetic Orange, Bay Leaf Green, Deep Black, Starlight Blue, and Mono Silver.
Read: Your complete guide to MPGe, the electric equivalent of miles per gallon
Favorite features
Styling
By taking inspiration from a classic Volkswagen, the new ID. Buzz has the potential to be one of those rare and special vehicles that transcend class and appeal to all kinds of people.
Three rows of seats
There isn’t much else with an all-electric drivetrain that can seat up to seven occupants. The Tesla TSLA, -5.12% Model X is one possibility, but that costs more than twice as much as a 2024 ID. Buzz.
See: All the companies that are making or planning electric vehicles
Standard features
Among the standard features in an entry-level 2024 ID. Buzz are LED lights inside and out, dual-zone automatic climate control, at least two USB-C ports, and Apple AAPL, -2.39% CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration through wireless VW App-Connect.
Standard safety systems include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, along with active lane-keeping assistance.
Factory options
It’s possible to equip a new ID. Buzz electric minivan with extra features such as power-adjustable front seats with memory settings and massage functions, 30-color ambient lighting, 12-inch infotainment touchscreen, navigation, and a head-up display with augmented reality.
Safety can be enhanced with adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, parking assistance, and a 360-degree camera system.
Related: Does driving an electric car really save you money? A cheapskate runs the numbers
Engine and transmission
A single electric motor in the 2024 ID. Buzz drives the rear wheels with 201 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque. VW says this motor is small enough to fit into a duffel bag.
It takes its energy from a temperature-controlled and floor-mounted lithium-ion battery. It’s rated at 82 kWh, but usable capacity is 77 kWh. This battery is covered by an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty, whichever happens first.
AC permanent magnet synchronous electric motor
201 horsepower
229 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: N/A
Range: Approximately 275 miles (estimated)
This story originally ran on KBB.com.