Volkswagen conjures up the ghosts of the past to drive into a great future. And that with the largest car that is based on the modular electric construction kit MEB: the VW ID.Buzz. The great-great-great…ancestor of the legendary VW Bus T1 relies on a lot of space, a lot of cult and as well as a meanwhile proven but improved electric drive. In the electric world, it demonstrates what the VWs T7 and T6.1 can do with combustion engines and hybrids.
There is something almost compulsive about how much they try to draw parallels between the T1 and the ID.Buzz at VW. Rear-wheel drive, i.e. engine and drive at the rear, plus two-tone paintwork and the slightly V-shaped front with the large VW logo, these are probably the main similarities. But the ID.Buzz is actually something special in terms of looks and, after all, it is closer to the T1 in terms of drive than the Beetle is to the Beetle. VW has experience with the new edition of classics. And with the construction of VW buses. In this respect, it is not surprising that they do a lot of things right with the ID.Buzz, but it is all the more astonishing that there are negligence in the details. But first things first.Two versionsThe VW ID.Buzz is 4.71 meters long and 1.99 meters wide, both as a “Pro” car and as a “Cargo” (that’s the transporter), depending on the equipment, they measure in height 1.93 to 1.95 meters. The wheelbase is 2.99 meters. In the trunk, 1121 liters of luggage fit up to the upper edge of the seat behind the split sliding second row of seats. If you fold them down, you get 2205 liters as high as the roof. The cargo holds 3900 liters, two Euro pallets fit in. The loading sill is 63 centimeters high in both versions. For the Pro, i.e. the ID buzz bus, there is an optional double floor, which results in a flat surface with the rear seats folded down. You can also use it as a lying surface for spontaneous overnight stays. As an accessory, there is even simple camping equipment with a mattress and a two-burner gas stove that can be pulled out from under the floor. Good mood in the interior You sit airy in the Buzz, with the large area between the front seat occupants and the windscreen being unusually large. Together with the triangular side windows, you feel like driving a huge glass box in front of you. But especially with the trendy, bright interior of the test car, it puts you in a good mood because of the amount of light that penetrates. It’s just a different VW bus feeling than you know it from all other models. The screen is mounted more coherently than is the case in other ID models (let alone the Golf!). Beautiful materials please the eye and the touching hands, only hard plastic can be found around the bottom. In terms of character, this is not fundamentally disturbing, but in view of the price one should expect something else. A lot of recycling material is used, and VW completely dispenses with leather here. In the base and in the cargo, however, happiness is limited. She is basically black. If you want something higher quality (also electrically adjustable or massage seats), you automatically have to take the light interior, which will probably not go down so well with families with small children. Sweaty second row Two things are incomprehensible: In row two there are no vents for the standard air conditioning. In addition, the windows of the two (also standard) sliding doors cannot be opened. It gets uncomfortably hot here when it’s sunny. VW is already working on a solution. No one was able to name a reason for the shortcoming during the presentation. When will touch sliding finally stop? The Buzz takes over the operating system from its ID brothers. If the menu navigation is still ok and understandable, the fun with the touch sliders for volume and temperature stops. These are also unlit in the Buzz and are therefore not easy to find at night. The touch elements on the steering wheel also only offer disadvantages compared to real buttons. It is good that the software and electronics now work well, the screen reacts quickly to all inputs. However, the voice control was annoying during the first test drive, which repeatedly responded to voice without being spoken to. The route planning with integrated charging stops is also very appealing, it is quick and clear. Charging performance increased The ID.Buzz can charge faster than currently nor his brothers: it is up to 170 kilowatts here. The battery, which has a net capacity of 77 kilowatt hours, can be charged from 5 to 80 percent in 30 minutes. On the 11 kW wall box, the 0-100% charge takes 7:30 hours. VW specifies a WLTP range of 423 kilometers for the bus and 425 km for the cargo. During the first test drive in Denmark around Copenhagen (not more than 110 km/h), the on-board computer showed around 21 kWh/100 kilometers. And this is how the ID.Buzz drivesThe electric motor of the ID.Buzz has an output of 150 kW/204 hp. The car, which weighs 2396 kg according to DIN, manages to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.2 seconds, making it quite lively. After all, a torque of 310 Nm is constantly available. Acceleration stops at 145 km/h, which is good for the range despite the relatively low drag coefficient of 0.285 (Cargo: 0.29). The chassis is tuned more dynamically. Comfort-spoiled occupants might find it a bit harsh, but drivers who value a good connection to the road will rejoice. The steering is also successful and conveys a good feeling. You can set strong recuperation using the gear selector (B), so that you can often do without using the brake pedal. However, the ID.Buzz does not brake by itself up to a standstill. On D, the Buzz glides when you take your foot off the gas: unless you run into another car, it brakes accordingly. New assistance system VW has the ID.Buzz for the first time integrated a new parking assistant (optional). It saves a route up to 50 meters long, driven at up to 40 km/h, including changes in direction, i.e. forwards/backwards. You can then call up this route at any time. What it cannot do is what we know from BMW, i.e. automatically reverse a route that has been driven forward. Sooner or later, however, this function will be added. What’s to come These two VW ID.Buzz are just the beginning. A lengthened version will be introduced next year, with 25 cm more wheelbase and exterior length. It will also be available with a larger battery (about 95 kWh). The passenger version gets seven seats. For weight reasons, there will be no eight-seater. Later, the standard-length version will also have a third row of seats. Then there are six seats available, because the bench seat in the second row is replaced by two individual seats. It is not expected before 2025. Fahrzit The VW ID.Buzz will create its own cult, it does not need the T1 for this. However, he will probably not become a mass phenomenon on the streets. The price list starts at around 67,000 euros, and there is still no talk of the feel-good interior shown here or good equipment. If the two rear seat shortcomings are eliminated, the car is absolutely successful. Too bad that for many it will be just as unaffordable as a VW T1 Sambabus. The price level is another common feature. Why? Good style Pleasant interior Good software Sufficient range Why not? No rear climate vents Windows of the sliding doors cannot be opened Or maybe …… Ford E-Transit Custom, Fiat Ulysse/Scudo, Peugeot Traveller/Expert, Opel Zafira live/Vivaro
source site-13