Volkswagen’s world premiere of its ID. Buzz family revealed a reimagined version of its classic camper and transporter, which now features a modern design and electric powertrain.
The ID. Buzz was launched alongside the ID. Buzz Cargo, which will become Europe’s first all-electric bus and transporter range.
The ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo are launching across Europe with a 77kWh battery (gross energy content: 82 kWh). It provides current to a 150kW electric motor, which – as the flat engine once did in the T1 – drives the rear axle. The position of the battery, integrated deep down in the sandwich floor, and the lightweight electric drive system result in a good distribution of weight and a low vehicle center of gravity. Both factors optimize the handling and agility. The lithium-ion battery can be charged from wall boxes or public charging stations using 11kW alternating current (AC). Via a CCS plug connector at a DC rapid-charging station (direct current) the charging power increases to as much as 170 kW. When charged in this way, the battery charge level rises from 5% to 80% in about 30 minutes.
Using the latest ID. software, the model line will also offer the ‘Plug & Charge’ function in the future. Via this function, the ID. Buzz authenticates itself at compatible DC rapid-charging stations via the charging connector using the ISO 15118 standard. It also exchanges all necessary data with the charging station in this way – an added convenience. Bidirectional charging enables the ID. Buzz to feed unneeded energy from the battery into the customer’s home network (Vehicle-to-Home). The power transfer and communication take place via a special DC bi-directional wall box.
As is the case for all the models in Volkswagen Passenger Car’s ID. family, the ID. Buzz, which is built by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Hannover, is also based in engineering terms on the Group’s Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB). The world’s first scalable mass production platform for all-electric cars provides the cross-brand basis for all sorts of different models and segments.
The visual frame around these future-oriented technologies is formed by the unique design of the ID. Buzz. “The T1 – an icon of the 1950s – enabled people to gain mobility and freedom. With the ID. Buzz, we are transferring this T1 DNA to the present day and thus into the era of electric mobility,” says Jozef Kabaň, Head of Volkswagen Design.
Ralf Brandstätter, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars added: “The ID. Buzz is a genuine icon for the electric era.”
