After multiple concepts, teasers, and spy shots, the 2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz has been revealed in all of its funky glory. Other than some minor design tweaks like actual side mirrors and reshaped headlights the production version carried over nearly unchanged. The all-electric van looks like a modern-day T1 Microbus complete with short overhangs and a cool two-tone exterior color. Like the ID.4 crossover, the headlights are connected by a single LED light strip that meets at the Volkswagen logo that unfortunately doesn’t appear to light up. In the back, you get the same full-width lighting treatment and a vertical liftgate with a massive Volkswagen badge and ID. Buzz spelled out across the lower center portion.
When it goes on sale in Europe later this year, the ID. Buzz will be offered in passenger and cargo configurations. Like the T1 Microbus that inspired it, the standard wheelbase van isn’t that big at 185.5 inches long. Thanks to its short overhangs and upright profile, the ID. Buzz maximizes interior space without resulting in a vehicle with a massive exterior footprint. Credit also goes to Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, which is shared with the ID.4 and allowed designers to maximize the interior. Additionally, the ID. Buzz also has a tidy-by-van-standards turning radius of 36.4 feet thanks to it being built on a platform dedicated specifically for battery-electric vehicles.
You’ll be able to choose from a host of bright exterior colors including several two-tone ones that pay homage to the T1 Microbus. One of those includes Lime Yellow coupled with Candy White, which was the combination that the ID. Buzz debuted in when it was first shown in concept form. Alloy wheel options range from 18 to 21 inches in diameter while the exterior paint used is organically-based.
The ID. Buzz can be had with two-tone interior colors that correspond with the exterior. This will also be the first Volkswagen vehicle that doesn’t use animal-based components. Renewable components like Seaqual yarn, which is made of fibers derives from 10 percent ocean plastic and 90 percent recycled PET bottles. In addition to the five-seat configuration, the ID. Buzz’s passenger variant can also be configured with six seats.
A seven-seat version will be available on the upcoming extended-wheelbase model, which will be the only variant sold in the U.S. Both the front and rear seats slide forward and back while the latter has 60/40 split-folding seatbacks. With all seats up, there’s a generous 39.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Cargo variants can carry 137.7 cubic feet behind the front seats and have rings on the floor and side to secure your payload. Certain versions also have a movable center console with multiple storage bins and a drawer that can fit tablets and laptops.
The same dash layout on the ID.4 finds its way into the ID. Buzz. One notable change is that the gear selector is now a stalk on the steering column instead of a switch attached to the 5.3-inch gauge cluster. Volkswagen’s latest infotainment system features haptic feedback controls and either a 10.0- or 12.0-inch touch screen. Depending on the configuration, there are at least five USB ports scattered throughout the cabin. At least in Europe, the ID. Buzz will be available with a full suite of driver assistance features, which includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beams, and Volkswagen’s Travel Assist semi-autonomous system. Automatic parking and a surround-view camera system are also included. Volkswagen’s ID. Light system that stretches across the dash is standard will glow if you activate the virtual assistant or when the car warns you to brake immediately to avoid a collision.
Initially, the ID Buzz will be available in a single-motor configuration. The electric motor makes 201 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque and is backed by a cobalt-free 82-kWh battery with a usable capacity of 77 kWh. It will also have the highest peak DC charging rate of any Volkswagen BEV at 170 kW. On a level 2 AC charger, the ID Buzz can charge at peak rates of up to 11 kW. Expect the 2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz to go on sale in North America in 2024, one year after the North American debut of the extended wheelbase version. Production will take place at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ manufacturing plant in Hannover, Germany.
