Editor’s Note: originally slated to arrive in 2022, the I.D. Buzz is now confirmed for 2024.
While we North Americans—from Van Lifers to recreational family campers—may be missing out on the new, wildly popular VW T6 van available in overseas markets, we will instead get a chance to own Volkswagen’s fully electric I.D BUZZ Microbus come 2022, when this futuristic vehicle plans to arrive at dealerships. From the looks of this thing, the German automaker has more than made up for this painful absence of arguably the most iconic camper van.
First unveiled earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen made the official announcement to put the I.D. BUZZ went into production last Friday at the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance, one of the most prestigious automotive events in the world.
Why produce the I.D. BUZZ Electric Concept now?
Most gleaming concept vehicles look great in person on the motor show floor, but rarely, if ever, actually make it to production. So why has VW decided to go forward with the I.D. BUZZ Electric Concept production?
“After the presentations at the global motor shows in Detroit and Geneva, we received a large number of letters and emails from customers who said, ‘please build this car,’” Volkswagen CEO Dr. Herbert Diess said in Pebble Beach. “The Microbus has long been part of the California lifestyle. Now we’re bringing it back by reinventing it as an electric vehicle.” And the idea of a zero-emissions camper van for today’s lifestyle only makes sense.
A VW bus hauling more than just people
Fully-electric, the 2022 I.D. BUZZ Microbus will have its batteries mounted on the vehicle floor. Because the electric drive components — electric motor, power electronics, and such —don’t take up much space, the vehicle has a long wheelbase with short overhangs, allowing for a massively spacious interior and great proportions.
Inspired by the old T2 (Type 2) from 1949, which hauled people and cargo, the I.D. BUZZ CARGO model will offer consumers the chance to transport more than their families when hitting the road; ideal for commercial operators, we assume, delivering packages and goods to the inner cities.
Sure, we’ll need to wait five long years for the I.D. BUZZ Microbus, but it’ll be here before we know it. We can wait.
