First unveiled in Detroit at the beginning of the year, the Volkswagen I.D. Buzz microbus concept has been named 2017 Concept Truck of the Year by an expert panel during the 16th Annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards.
During the awards ceremony, held last week at the Concours d’Elegance of America at St. John’s in Plymouth, Michigan, the second of three members of the I.D. lineup of concepts from VW was recognized for its retro-yet-innovative styling that complements the vehicle’s state-of-the-art electric technologies.
The award is actually the fourth of its kind to be claimed by Volkswagen for its concept trucks. “We are proud that the I.D. Buzz was chosen as the 2017 Concept Truck of the Year,” said Abdallah Shanti, Executive Vice President and Group Chief Information Officer for Region Americas at Volkswagen, in accepting the award. “Volkswagen will lead the world in the shift to electric mobility, and the I.D. Buzz demonstrates the kind of innovative design and engineering that’s a trademark of VWs past and future.”
The I.D. Buzz is built on the automaker’s Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB), and is a showcase for Volkswagen’s efforts to adapt electric power to suit larger vehicles. In particular, the placement of the batteries and the drive system in the floor of the vehicle ensures ample space for passengers and cargo. The all-wheel-drive range for the concept is up to 435 km.
Among the cutting-edge features that we can only hope survive the transfer from concept to production vehicle, notable are the retractable steering wheel, an I.D. Pilot mode that helps the car communicate with pedestrians using headlights and exterior lighting.