The new Volkswagen ID. Buzz is a happy electric van that can

Volkswagen on Wednesday night revealed its new electric ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo. 

Engineered to bring battery-powered convenience to the masses, these two load-lugging EVs are both inspired by the firm's legendary T1 bus that empowered a generation when it was first launched back in the 1950s. This can be seen in the vehicle's retro-futurist design language that incorporates a distinctive V-shaped front panel between the narrow LED headlights, the option of two-tone paintwork as well as short front and rear overhangs. 

“The T1 — an icon of the 1950s — enabled people to gain mobility and freedom,” said Jozef Kabaň, head of Volkswagen design, at Wednesday night's unveiling in Germany. “The ID. Buzz is timeless, sustainable and yet also extremely functional — that makes it unique.” 

Manufactured at Volkswagen's commercial vehicle plant in Hannover, both versions of the ID. Buzz are built on the group's new Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB) platform. In terms of dimensions both models measure 4,712mm in length with a wheelbase of 2,988mm, which is roughly the same as that of the current T6.1. However at 1,985mm, it's interesting to note that the ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo are 81mm wider than the equivalent T6.1. 

From launch the more family-orientated ID. Buzz offers space for five adult passengers courtesy two rows of seating plus a large boot with 1,121 litres of capacity. Fold the second row of seats flat and this suddenly increases to 2,205 litres. Aimed more at commercial users (or those with a lot of hobbies), the ID. Buzz Cargo comes with either two or three seats up front (the choice is yours) leaving a whopping 3.9 cubic metres or stowage space. Enough, or so Volkswagen claims, to swallow two euro pallets loaded in transversely.

Just like the original T1 bus the new ID. Buzz twins have their motors mounted in the back. Attached to the rear axle is a lightweight 150kW electric motor powered by a 77kWh lithium-ion battery mounted deep down in the sandwich floor for an impressively low centre of gravity. Though Volkswagen has made no mention of driving range we would hazard a guess that both ID. Buzz variants should offer around 300-400km on a single charge. Especially considering how slippery they are — the ID. Buzz sports a car-rivalling drag coefficient of 0.285cd while the slightly taller ID. Buzz Cargo comes in at 0.29cd. 

In terms of charging the battery can be topped up 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 170kW. When charged in this way, the battery charge level rises from 5 to 80% in about 30 minutes.

As to be expected the ID. Buzz twins are loaded with tech including the German firm's newfangled ‘Car2X’ local warning system, which utilises signals from other vehicles and the transport infrastructure to spot hazards in real time. Customers can also look forward to 'front assist' emergency braking and, in the case of the ID. Buzz, a 'lane assist' lane-keeping assistant. Volkswagen's ‘Travel Assist with swarm data’ is available as an option on both ID. Buzz variants: a smart system that facilitates partially automated driving across the entire speed range and, for the first time, assisted lane-changing on the motorway. 

According to Volkswagen both the ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo will come onto the market in the first few European countries this autumn. Advance sales are due to start in May.