First Impressions

For some, Woodstock and bell-bottomed jeans are just a distant memory. For others, artifacts of a time come and gone. But, Volkswagen has defibrillated one of their most prolific icons, the VW microbus, now revived as the all-electric ID.Buzz.

It’s true, the bus is back and it’s all-electric, as VW transplants their new Modular Electric Drive Kit into its classic shape. Here it's an 82 kilowatt-hour battery supplying the rear electric motor, capable of 201 horsepower and a maximum 229 lb-ft of torque. Top speed is electronically limited to 90 miles per hour and driving range is yet to be announced. More battery options and output levels will follow in 2023.

Euro-market passenger and cargo models will launch in the third quarter of 2022. North America will see the ID.Buzz, but not until 2024. Our initial version will be a long wheelbase passenger model.

The body is crafted with minimal overhangs, allowing for a maximum usage of space in a relatively-compact package. LED headlights bookend the silver bar and iconic VW badge and minimal “grille-ing” harken back to the rear-engine, air-cooled buses of old. And in the rear, the horizontally arranged LED taillights are connected to each other by a thin light strip-- a first for commercial VW’s. 

While the exterior can be finished in one of seven colors, true nostalgists may opt for one of the four two-tone options with the upper section finished in “candy white.”

The standard length passenger bus will launch with five seats, with a six and seven-seat configuration to come later. Getting to the back is done via a single sliding door, but a second sliding door will be an option. The optional height-adjustable trunk floor can create a level loading surface, making it even easier to throw some luggage and camping gear through the large rear tailgate. The interior is leather-free, with recycled materials and “Seaqual” sustainable yarn for the fabric bits. 

The driver is given a 10-inch digital cockpit display paired to an equally-sized infotainment system in the center stack; a 12-inch infotainment display is optional. Underneath the center screen is a control bar with digital buttons and sliders for the HVAC system, volume, driver assist systems and more. 

The original T1 and T2 buses, cool as they may be, were not the most efficient vehicles; but in a time where nostalgia routinely resurrects cult classics, it’s fun to see Volkswagen bring back the microbus for the 21st century. While you may spot one at a music festival near you, you can definitely catch more on the ID. Buzz here on MotorWeek!