The electric VW ID Buzz has been a hit, with more than 35,000 vehicles sold in just a few months after the market launch. And the version with the XL wheelbase should find even more customers in many countries than the current normal version. The best example is: the USA. So it’s no coincidence that the long-wheelbase VW Buzz is celebrating its world premiere at the Bully Festival in Huntington Beach on the California coast. Pablo Di Si, CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America: “The ID Buzz and the USA – they go together perfectly! The VW bus has a long history in the USA and enjoys real cult status. Our aim today is to further strengthen the Volkswagen brand in America. The large ID Buzz is exactly the right model for this.” The version with a long wheelbase is now 4.96 meters long instead of the familiar 4.71 meters. The electric bus not only looks smarter, but is also available as a six- or seven-seater. Depending on the seat configuration, the loading volume increases to between 306 and 2,469 liters. Practical: the sliding doors on the left and right are each more than 19 centimeters wider than those of the electric standard bully, which is exported from Hanover all over the world.
The ID Buzz version with two individual rear seats in the second row instead of the well-known three-seat bench is particularly practical. These seats can not only be adjusted or folded down, they can also be heated to a pleasantly warm temperature. At least as important for many customers: not only do the two sliding doors open electrically at the push of a button, but the small sliding windows can also be operated next to the respective USB port via a button in the door panel. Also new is the mighty panorama roof, which can be shaded electromagnetically to protect against excessive solar radiation. The increase in wheelbase is not only noticeable through the two rear seats in the third row, which can also be folded down, but there is also more space in the second row and thus more quality of life for the occupants. In any case, the sense of space of the VW ID Buzz is in a class of its own. Access to the third row is either by folding down the rear seats or with a bit of scrambling through the middle. Cockpit and controls remain unchanged. If the VW ID Buzz XL is missing something, then it is a noble leather interior, which is currently not provided. The towing capacity of the variant with rear-wheel drive remains unchanged at 1,000 kilograms.
With the extended wheelbase, the 2.7-ton VW ID Buzz also gets a new, significantly more powerful drive from the new ID7. The normal rear-wheel drive version delivers 210 kW / 286 hp and a maximum torque of an impressive 560 Nm. Previously, 150 kW / 204 PS / 320 Nm was the limit. It is now also a bit quicker on the motorway, because the tired 145 km/h are increased to at least 160 km/h. In addition to the core model, the all-wheel drive version with 250 kW / 340 PS follows, which should then run as fast as ID Buzz GTX up to 180 km/h. As a new entry-level version, Volkswagen is launching the ID Buzz with 125 kW / 170 hp, which has a 63 kWh battery. The versions with 210 kW / 286 PS and 250 kW / 340 PS are also equipped with the new CATL battery, which should enable an electric range of up to 460 kilometers with 91 kWh. As with the refreshed VW ID3, the charging capacity increases to 170 kW and that should not be the end of it. The standard consumption should be 20 kWh for the rear-wheel drive and around 21 kWh for the all-wheel drive version per 100 kilometers.
Market launch for the VW ID Buzz XL should be in January 2024; All-wheel drive and entry-level versions follow shortly thereafter. Volkswagen is currently keeping a low profile on prices, but since the current VW ID Buzz starts at around 65,000 euros, the version with a long wheelbase and significantly more power should start at just under 70,000 euros. By the way: the version with an XL wheelbase is not available as a commercial version; this remains at least once at home with the normal wheelbase and the overall length of 4.71 meters.
