- the 2024 volkswagen i.d.buzz will make it to the u.s. market during calendar 2023 after a 2022 launch in europe, according to carsten intra, head of the brand's commercial vehicles division.
- the much-anticipated electric descendant of the microbus will make up to 300 horsepower, and u.s. buyers can only get it with a long wheelbase.
- the buzz will not be available as a work vehicle on the u.s. market but will be outfitted as an upscale people carrier.
it's the cutest van ever, or at least since the 1960s/'70s "love bus," and it should play an important role in popularizing evs. that's why it's significant that volkswagen has clarified the release date for the id. buzz, which today has been confirmed for a calendar year 2023 u.s.-market launch by carsten intra. head of volkswagen's commercial vehicle division.
intra for the first time confirmed that the id. buzz will come to the u.s. in 2023 as a 2024 model, following the 2022 launch of the id. buzz in europe. here, the lineup will be somewhat reduced and more upscale.
in europe, the id. buzz will be offered in passenger and commercial vehicle versions and with a choice or short or long wheelbase. the u.s. market gets a reduced portfolio: the id. buzz will come only as a long-wheelbase passenger vehicle. but there could be up to three battery sizes. the entry-level model will likely be a rear-wheel-drive version with around 200 horsepower, and there will be an all-wheel-drive top-level version that will make as much as 300 horsepower.
in europe, the commercial version of the id. buzz will be available as a fully autonomous vehicle (above), but it will come quite a bit later than the regular id. buzz and it is unlikely it will ever make it to the u.s. it will be the first fully autonomous vw group car on the market.
the id. buzz will be built in hannover, germany, about 35 miles west of wolfsburg, alongside large and luxurious electric suvs that will be produced there for different volkswagen group brands. we expect to see the first of this so-called "d-suv" in 2024 for the 2025 and subsequent model years.
the id. buzz is part of vw's fast-expanding lineup of evs, which currently includes the europe- and asia-only id.3 and the id.4 crossover. a coupe version of the id.4 called id.5 will soon follow, while china gets an elongated id.6. further models are already decided, including a low-slung premium hatchback and shooting brake positioned well above the arteon. however, there will still be conventionally powered vws, including a next-gen passat and tiguan.