VW's ID. Buzz Is an Automotive and Cultural Icon Electrified
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.—While electric vehicles like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Rivian R1T rely on futuristic styling, and the Ford F-150 Lightning sticks with a traditional modern-truck look, the exterior design of Volkswagen’s new ID. Buzz pays homage to the classic VW Microbus—an iconic vehicle that conjures images of '60s counterculture. But underneath the nostalgic sheet metal of the ID. Buzz is a thoroughly modern electric powertrain, and inside is an innovative and inviting space with room for seven passengers.
VW unveiled the 2024 ID. Buzz in Huntington Beach, paying tribute to the van’s roots as a surf wagon and California coastal icon. The three-row vehicle has a longer wheelbase than the two-row European model that VW says makes it tailored to the North American EV market. Like the original Microbus, the ID. Buzz has a rear-mounted motor, while the battery resides under the floor skateboard-style to save space and allow its weight to aid in handling via a low center of gravity.
The ID. Buzz will go on sale next year and come standard with rear-wheel drive and a 91kWh battery that produces 282 horsepower. An available all-wheel drive version with dual motors—one at each axle—will produce about 330hp with the top speed electronically limited to 99mph.
The retro exterior design cues include a large and lighted VW logo on the vehicle’s short snout, wraparound windows, D-pillar air vents that replicate the Microbus’ rear-engine cooling slots, and two-tone colors available in six hues.
Nostalgic touches continue in the interior with the Microbus’s classic sliding windows—albeit fully powered—and second- and third-row seats that fold flat to create a sleeping surface. The third row can also be entirely removed.
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