All abuzz
Volkswagen’s first electric vehicle in Australia is a funky van-cum-people-mover that channels the iconic Kombi.
Available with two different wheelbases and in three variants, the ID Buzz Pro comes in five- or seven seat configurations, while the ID Buzz Cargo is a three-seat commercial vehicle on the same extended wheelbase as the seven-seater. All are based on Volkswagen’s modular MEB electric car platform, which delivers even front and rear weight distribution, short overhangs, a low centre of gravity and the latest in electric vehicle underpinnings.
For now, all three variants feature a single rear-mounted motor driving the rear wheels. Later this year Volkswagen will launch the more luxurious dual-motor all-wheel drive ID Buzz GTX. The single motor is good for outputs of 210kW/560Nm on the passenger variants; the Cargo delivers the same 210kW but a slightly lower 550Nm.
The Pro SWB and Cargo get a 84kWh lithium-ion battery enabling a WLTP range of 422km and 431km respectively, while the Pro LWB gets a larger 91kWh battery for a range of 452km.
Recommended retail pricing starts at $79,990 for the Cargo, $87,990 for the Pro SWB and $91,290 for the LWB. Up front are nicely bolstered seats with armrests, and the roomy second row has aircraft-style flip-out tables on the seat backs.
The large 12.9-inch touchscreen display is easy to navigate with USB-C charging ports and wireless phone charging, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The driving experience is quiet and comfortable, with excellent visibility and effortless performance.
Hippies may miss the dak-dak-dak soundtrack of the old Kombi’s flat-four engine, but this new generation is far cleaner and truer to the flower power ethos than its ICE predecessors ever were.