Volkswagen has at times experimented with the idea of creating a modern version of the symbol, the hippie-friendly bus. We’ve seen a string of concepts including the 2001 Microbus and the 2011 Bulli, but none have received the proverbial green light for production. The time is finally right, and the wait is almost over. Volkswagen is simply changing the ID. In 2017, the Buzz concept was introduced in a van that you would be able to buy and drive. It will be electric, and it is temporarily due to be in showrooms in 2022. Everything is known about it here.
What is this?
Keep in mind that Volkswagen has not yet introduced the production version of the modern microbus; It has not even released the model name yet. The Buzz concept (shown above) sketched an exact outline of the model, but every part of it (including design and specifications) would change at least a little in the coming years. When it comes to concept cars is par for the course. With that, the heritage-lace design would remain, and Volkswagen confirmed that the production model would ride on the highly modular MEB platform.
Stylists drew a visual link between Buzz and its predecessors, such as adopting styling cues in the form of a two-tone look, long quarter windows integrated into the front doors, and air vents cut into the rear roof pillars. . They reduced the concept to a split windshield and round headlights, but the concept is retractable enough to be recognized as a modern interpretation of the Beetle-based original introduced in 1950 and 2013 in Brazil. Was made till
What is it like inside?
Its cabin is as spacious as you’d expect from a large, boxy van. It provides space for up to eight passengers spread over three rows of seats, and rails integrated into the wood floor allow users to configure the interior in various ways. These features were illustrated by the concept, and we expect to see them in the production model as well. The front seats spindle up to 180 degrees to create a spacious, living room-like atmosphere.
It would be reasonable to assume a long list of adventure-friendly accessories (such as camping tents), either from Volkswagen or from aftermarket vendors. The Buzz will be as versatile as the original rear-engined bus.
Could it also be freight?
Like its predecessor, the Buzz will be available in people- and cargo-carrying configurations. Volkswagen later unveiled as a close-to-production concept car in Los Angeles in 2018. It is almost identical to the eight-seater model, but does not have windows or seats. Instead, opening the rear door reveals a large storage compartment, which has a fully flat loading floor and a 230-volt outlet that draws power from the battery pack to run the electrical equipment. The facility converts Buzz Cargo into a mobile workshop with a usable 1,760-pound payload.
Is it still rear-engined?
like. In its standard configuration, the MEB platform features a single electric motor mounted on the rear axle. Under Buzz, it offers two motors (one for each set of wheels) that receive power from a 111kWh lithium-ion battery pack to deliver 369 horsepower. Volkswagen quotes the 270-mile driving range. The company also reported that it would be relatively simple to build a more basic, rear-motorized version of the concept powered by a smaller, 83kWh battery pack and a single, 268hp motor out. However, no gasoline-powered model is planned.
While the much-hyped Beetle-based original “Finally,” Buzz performs the benchmark sprint in five seconds flat, a zero-to-60 mph time. Its top speed is electronically limited to 99mph.
Can it drive itself?
To an extent, yes. Volkswagen is developing the Buzz, taking into account partially automated driving, and it deployed a fleet of autonomous prototypes during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Doha in conjunction with the government of Qatar. It agreed to work hand-in-hand with the Qatar Investment Authority to develop the physical and digital infrastructure needed to put autonomous vans on the streets of Doha. While details about the project have not been finalized, it helps that Qatar is a dry, sunny place where the prototype does not have to navigate snow, ice or fog.
Thirty-five shuttles will receive Volkswagen’s level-four driving system, which matches the technology, allowing the driver to move both hands off the wheel and both get off the road when the correct position is found. The feature is there to see if it will be available on the production version of Buzz, but it is definitely a step toward autonomy.
When can I buy?
Volkswagen launched the MEB platform under ID.3, a Golf-sized hatchback developed primarily for the European market. It will soon sell a Tiguan-sized crossover named ID.4 that will be sold (and, later, manufactured) in the United States. These are higher-volume models than re-born microbes, so they are high on the firm’s list of priorities. The van is tentatively scheduled to make its debut in 2022, and it will enter production shortly after.
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