Volkswagen ID.Buzz
In the four years since the first introductions, the curious Volkswagen electric van known as the ID.Buzz has seen a lot of mixed news. On the one hand, there was talk of autonomous driving, on the other, models very close to normal vans ... And all this information could be true. According to Automotive News Europe, in fact, the German manufacturer will not present a single vehicle but at least three specimens directed to the major markets.The same source, we do not know on what basis, certainly gives six-seater version for Europe especially designed for car pooling. Each passenger will be able to access the seats independently and each seat will have its own infotainment-style display. Moving on to the United States, a similar model will be directed to uber-style services, with two fewer seats but the same key features. Finally, what should become the most common model, the classic delivery van, is expected on all markets.
The latter has already been "spied on" several times by the automotive press and appeared radically different in the aesthetics compared to the first prototypes. The hope is that Volkswagen will not abandon the retro forms of the original presentations, at least for the non-commercial models. ID.Buzz is in fact thought to be the heir to the historic Type 2 so dear to the flower children of the past, and it would not make sense with the appearance of a normal van.
Returning to the latest rumors, over to remember that all versions will run on electricity there is still the node of autonomous driving. The parent company has already confirmed its intention to offer this feature by 2030 but it is unlikely that it will already be present in the first models. However, among the objectives set for the entire project, there is the achievement of completely autonomous deliveries.
According to Volkswagen, in the future couriers will no longer have to worry about driving or even having a license but only concentrate on goods. An unlikely hypothesis to say the least considering the traffic in which they are immersed every day and the difficulties shown so far by self-driving vehicles. But it is enough to move the goal from 2030 to a more probable 2050 for the idea not to seem so exaggerated.
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Volkswagen ID.Buzz to get a trio of variants for Europe and U.S.
© SpiedBildeAutomotive News Europe reports that Volkswagen is planning three initial versions of the ID.Buzz van. Two of them are designed for Europe, the first being a 'ride-pooling' version, the second a cargo van. We're not crystal clear on final seating capacity, ANE saying the Euro people-carrier will have six seats, each of them accessible individually and with a screen for each seat. For reasons that will become clear later, we assume this is actually an eight-passenger van. The cargo van will most likely look much like the Buzz prototypes caught in spy photos in June, with sheetmetal replacing most of the windows. A few years after launch, this Euro-focused cargo version is expected to be the VW Group's first Level 4 autonomous vehicle on sale. The VW exec in charge of autonomy said the company's plan is to have delivery drivers be passengers — driver's license optional — focused on delivering the parcels while the truck navigates itself to the day's drops.
Europe will get short- and long-wheelbase versions of the ID.Buzz. The van will be built in Hannover, Germany 'alongside large and luxurious electric SUVs that will be produced there for different Volkswagen Group brands.' This could be where the recently announced ID.8 large electric SUV is assembled.
The U.S. only gets the long-wheelbase version, and ANE says ours will be aimed at ride-sharing services that carry passengers 'traveling alone or in small groups.' The notable detail here is when ANE writes that our ID.Buzz 'will have only four seats — two facing forward and two facing toward the rear of the vehicle.' We're guessing ANE means that there will be six seats in the van, two in the cockpit facing forward, two at the back facing forward, and another pair between that face backward. If that's so, that's why we figure Europe's version is an eight-seater. Or else we're getting the strangest floorplan ever seen in a passenger van.
A previous report in Car and Driver declared the U.S. model would be an 'upscale people carrier' potentially available with three choices of battery. The base variant sends around 200 horsepower to the rear wheels only, the most expensive trim sends around 300 hp to all four wheels.
The Buzz is said to be on schedule to debut next year and go on sale before the end of 2022. Our model will appear in 2023 for the 2024 model year.
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Volkswagen ID.Buzz to get a trio of variants for Europe and U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2021 12:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.