In 2022, Volkswagen released details of the ID.Buzz, the all-electric counterpart of the automaker’s classic Microbus. As our article noted at the time, the version of the ID.Buzz announced in 2022 wouldn’t be available in the United States. The automaker preferred to work on an extended wheelbase version of the ID.Buzz — and now, a year after that initial announcement, we have a much clearer sense of what buyers in the United States (and throughout North America) can expect.
This ID.Buzz differs from the previously-announced version in several ways, most notably in its interior configuration. In other words, this one has three rows of seats. It’s also longer and more powerful than its two-row counterpart: the standard rear motor will give drivers 282 hp, and Volkswagen plans to offer an all-wheel-drive model with 330 hp as well. The three-row ID.Buzz also has a larger battery than its two-row counterpart — 91 kWh versus 82 kWh. Though as Engadget notes in their article on the announcement, one piece of data not provided by the automaker is what the new ID.Buzz’s range will be.
That said, Volkswagen is embracing the ID.Buzz’s ties to its automotive ancestor. In a statement, Pablo Di Si, President and CEO of Volkswagen of America, called the ID.Buzz “the spiritual reincarnation of the Microbus, reimagined for our electric future.”
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The automaker confirmed what many had speculatedVolkswagen’s announcement of the three-row ID.Buzz states that sales are “slated to begin in 2024.” As for when in 2024, well, that’s still to be determined — as well as when drivers might be able to expect delivery of their cars. But if you’ve ever wanted to cruise down the highway in a fully electric Microbus, you’re one step closer to that moment.
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