Volkswagen used last weekend’s 2023 Amelia Concours d’Elegance in Florida to confirm the debut of this summer’s US-spec ID.Buzz electric van.
The debut will take place in California, with showroom appearances shortly thereafter. The ID.Buzz, whose styling mimics Volkswagen’s iconic Microbus, was previously confirmed as a 2024 model.
The U.S. will receive a standard long-wheelbase version of the electric van, which is still in the prototype testing phase. The standard wheelbase version is on sale in parts of Europe from 2022.
The standard-wheelbase version measures just 185.5 inches long, about 1.5 inches shorter than Tesla’s Model Y compact crossover. Long-wheelbase versions should gain about 10 inches between the wheels, which should create enough room to add three rows of seats. Standard-wheelbase versions have just two rows.
Volkswagen ID.Buzz (European standard)
Volkswagen ID.Buzz (European standard)
Volkswagen ID.Buzz (European standard)
The long-wheelbase version is also expected to have a commercial van option in some markets, offering more than 137 cubic feet of towing space with a fixed bulkhead behind the front seats. The 2018 ID.Buzz Cargo concept previewed that setup. Still in development is a California camper version, which we may see at its upcoming California debut.
The basis for the ID.Buzz is the MEB designed by the Volkswagen Group for mainstream electric vehicles. It also appears in the VW ID.4 already in US showrooms. The ID.Buzz’s current largest battery has a capacity of 82 kWh, while the long-wheelbase body will house a battery with a capacity of 111 kWh. Such a capacity should allow for a range of nearly 300 miles on a single charge.
Production of the ID.Buzz takes place entirely at the Volkswagen plant in Hannover, Germany. It’s the same factory where Volkswagen builds its line of T-series vans sold overseas. The T-Series is actually the direct successor to the original Microbus and enters its seventh generation in 2021. There are reports that Volkswagen is considering increasing ID.Buzz production in the United States. The automaker already produces the ID.4 at its plant in the United States. Chattanooga, Tennessee.