The Volkswagen ID Buzz’s long road to reveal has been paved with numerous teasers, but thankfully, the world premiere is right around the corner. The electric van will finally debut on March 9 in production guise when it will lose this colorful camouflage to fully show its final boxy body. Meanwhile, VW has found time to release yet another preview, showing the modern-day Microbus on a tour in Europe.
A follow-up to the namesake concept from four years ago, the production-ready VW ID Buzz is coming as yet another electric vehicle based on the MEB platform. It’s currently undergoing final testing prior to its debut next Wednesday both as a passenger and commercial van. Initially, it will be available with the 82-kWh battery (77 kWh net capacity), but we’ve heard a bigger pack is set to arrive further down the line.
Upon launch, the 2023 ID Buzz will be sold exclusively with a rear-mounted electric motor producing 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet (310 Newton-meters) of torque. Chances are a future variant will add a front motor and enable AWD with around 300 hp to mirror the ID.5 GTX. Much like the other EVs riding on the bespoke architecture, the electric people mover will have short overhangs and a long wheelbase to maximize interior space.
In regards to size, it’ll be 4,712 mm long, 1,985 mm wide (without mirrors), and 1,937 mm tall (1938 mm for the cargo model), with a wheelbase stretching at 2,988 mm. VW Commercial Vehicles has previously said it will offer the ID Buzz with various alloy wheels measuring from 18 to 21 inches. While the passenger model will have a cargo capacity of 1,121 liters, the cargo model is going to offer 3.9m3.
Other known details include a turning circle of around 11 meters and an electronically capped top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h). The cargo variant, which won’t be coming to the United States, will come as standard with a partition wall and is going to feature three front seats. VW will assemble the ID Buzz in Hannover, Germany and will commence sales in Europe this fall, with the US to get the electric van from 2023.
Source: Volkswagen USA News / YouTube
