Volkswagen ID.Buzz Electric Van Revealed

Volkswagen has just revealed the new ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo electric vans in Hamburg, Germany.

With Europe's first all-electric bus and transporter range, Volkswagen is providing yet another solution to sustainable and carbon-free mobility.

The ID. Buzz comes with the latest ID. software and sets new standards in its segment with the latest systems and functions for safety, comfort and charging.

Design wise, the ID.Buzz is inspired by the unique design of the T1, which was  an icon of the 1950s.

Just like how the T1 enabled people to gain mobility and freedom in the past, Volkswagen is confident that the ID. Buzz will be able to do the same in the future in the era of electric mobility.

According to Volkswagen, the ID. Buzz is timeless, sustainable and also extremely functional.

Another feature that has always been typical of the model line is the iconic front with its V-shaped front panel between the charismatic LED headlights. That goes for the optional two-tone paintwork too

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, is also underpinned by the Group’s Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB).

The platform, which is 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.

Its architecture allows for an evolutionary further development of software and technology, which not only benefits new models such as the ID. Buzz, but also models that have already been delivered, by means of over-the-air updates.

The new model line’s assistance systems also offer perfect ease of driving and safety.

Fitted as standard in the ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo is the ‘Car2X’ local warning system which utilises signals from other vehicles and the transport infrastructure to spot hazards in real time.

Also included as standard are the Front Assist Emergency Braking function and the ‘Lane Assist’ lane-keeping assistant.

With new software, new assistance functions are also making their way into the ID. family.

Available as an option is ‘Travel Assist with swarm data’, which facilitates partially automated driving across the entire speed range and, for the first time, assisted lane-changing on the motorway.

Also new is the ‘Memory Function’ for automated parking on a previously saved route.

The ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo will be launched in Europe with a 77 kWh battery which provides current to a 150 kW electric motor.

The position of the battery which is integrated deep down in the sandwich floor, and the lightweight electric drive system result in a good distribution of weight and a low vehicle centre of gravity. Both factors optimise the handling and agility.

The lithium ion battery can be charged from wall boxes or public charging stations using 11 kW alternating current (AC). When charged using 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.

Also read: All-electric VW Trinity will be built at billion-euro plant