Production 2023 Volkswagen ID.Buzz revealed at last

After numerous concepts and sneak peeks, the production-ready Volkswagen ID. Buzz multi-purpose vehicle has finally been revealed, with a design that pays homage to the 1950s Type 2. This time, the manufacturer’s one-box people carrier is purely electric, and it’s set to land at UK dealers this autumn.

The fourth model in Volkswagen’s all-electric ID range, following the ID.3 family hatch, ID.4 SUV and ID.5 SUV coupé, the ID. Buzz is an MPV with five seats that will also be sold as a three-seat van. A long-wheelbase version is set to follow on, potentially with a third row of seating.

Its characterful design hasn’t deviated too much from the concept car, with an upright nose and large VW roundel, mesh lower bumper and slim headlights and rear clusters, both of which are joined by an LED strip of light. Two-tone paint jobs will be available – just like the original – with yellow, orange, blue or green sitting beneath white paintwork. The ID. Buzz has a blacked-out windscreen and door pillars, a subtle black rear spoiler and three strakes on its C-pillar that are a nod to the original.

“ITS CHARACTERFUL DESIGN HASN’T DEVIATED TOO MUCH FROM THE CONCEPT CAR...”

The ID. Buzz measures 4,712mm in length, making it shorter than a Caravelle 6.1, but its electric platform affords it a similar wheelbase to the bigger vehicle. Thanks in part to a windscreen that’s also more sweptback than it first appears, the new incarnation also has an impressive 0.26 Cd drag co-efficient. Access is via conventional front doors, sliding rear doors and a large tailgate. There’s a huge 1,121 litres of boot space even with all five seats in place, increasing to 2,205 litres with the 60:40 split rear seats folded flat. Inside, the MPV’s family ties with the ID. range are clear to see, because it shares the same steering wheel, digital instrument pod and ‘floating’ infotainment touchscreen, along with touch-sensitive controls for the climate control settings. A stretched vent spans the top of the fascia, while body-coloured trim also appears on the dashboard and doors. It has also been designed to be family-friendly and practical, with features including a multi-level central storage cubby called the ‘Buzz Box’ and up to eight USB-C chargers. The former can store an ice scraper and bottle opener, along with bulkier items. Leather is unlikely to make an appearance, as the cabin is trimmed in man-made and recycled materials, many of which use recycled plastics.

Sharing its propulsion with other MEB platform models like the Skoda Enyaq iV, the ID. Buzz gets a single 201bhp electric motor and 77kWh battery from launch. While its WLTP range figure hasn’t been announced, it’s likely to manage around 250 miles between charges. More powerful versions, including a dual-motor setup for all-wheel drive, are anticipated in the coming months. Charging speeds of 170kW are possible, so a charge from 5 to 80% will take around 30 minutes. The ID. Buzz is also expected to come with bi-directional charging from the factory, making it possible to feed power back into the national grid when plugged into a wallbox that supports it.