Volkswagen management has confirmed the production version of the Volkswagen I.D BUZZ electric microbus will arrive in dealerships from 2022.
Announced by The Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brands, Dr Herbert Diess and Dr Eckhard Scholz, the pair acknowledged customer enthusiasm for the concept, revealed earlier this year, had influenced the company's decision to give the project the green light.
"After the presentations at the global motor shows in Detroit and Geneva, we received a large number of letters and emails from customers who said, 'please build this car'", said Volkswagen CEO Dr Herbert Diess.
The announcement was made during the Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, California, a telling location for Volkswagen's target market for the Kombi-inspired microbus.
"It's also no coincidence that the Board of Management chose Pebble Beach as the location to make its announcement," said Diess.
Dr. Eckhard Scholz and Dr. Herbert Diess announced the decision. Photo / Volkswagen
"Just the right place for the I.D. BUZZ," explains Diess, as Volkswagen also announced that they would mainly target markets in North America, Europe and China with both the I.D. BUZZ and the I.D. family overall.
"The Microbus, which is what the Bulli is called in America, has always been part of the California lifestyle. Now we're bringing it back by developing Volkswagen's next e-generation and by reinventing the Bulli as an electric vehicle."
As was the case with the concept, the production model will have its batteries mounted in the vehicle floor. The electric drivetrain doesn't take up as much space as a combustion engine, so the front and rear axles can be mounted very far apart from one another, resulting in a long wheelbase and short overhangs, which makes for more space in the interior.
With a length of 4,942 mm, a width of 1,976 mm and a height of 1,963 mm, the concept car offers spacious dimensions. Volkswagen say the production version will incorporate many design ideas from the concept car, and will also feature variable seating, interactive connectivity and highly automated driving.
Volkswagen will also build a production I.D BUZZ model to satisfy buyers who use vans cargo carriers.
"Along with a minibus version, we'll also be offering an I.D. BUZZ Cargo variant for zero-emission delivery operations in a Level 3 vehicle that boasts a high degree of automated driving capability", said Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles CEO Dr Eckhard Scholz.
"It's an ideal electric van concept, particularly for inner cities."
I.D BUZZ forms part of Volkswagen's Strategy 2025, which includes plans to release more than 30 all-electric models by that time.
No announcement has been made in regard to pricing of the production I.D. BUZZ, but back in January Diess said the I.D range of electric vehicles would be, "affordable for millions, not just to millionaires."
