In early March, Volkswagen finally lifted the veil on the ID.Buzz, the modern, all-electric incarnation of one of the most iconic models in its history, the famous Microbus, or Type 2.
Everything points at the new EV being quite the success. First because of its practical size, and also because of its electric configuration, not to mention the two-thumbs-up styling of the thing. The retro vibe is sure to please many as well.
And, it will be offered all over the world, including the passenger version in stretched configuration here in Canada.
At the same, it’s relevant these days to wonder how many of the model we’ll actually see on our roads. The current situation makes making predictions a particularly hazardous when it comes to electric vehicles. What then are Volkswagen's expectations?
Well, for once, we actually know. Ralf Brandstaetter, Volkswagen CEO (vehicle division), spelled it out during a presentation of the company's financial and product outlook for 2022 and beyond.
“We want to sell around 120,000 units a year,” said he. He described the ID.Buzz as the most emotionally engaging vehicle in the brand's family of electric models and said it has the potential to be a strong seller. He pointed out that “the ID Buzz has been incredibly well received in the U.S. where it's even a bit of a cult figure.”
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VW will start taking advance orders for the ID.Buzz in May, with the first units expected to hit the market in Europe in the fall. It will be offered there in passenger versions as well as in a commercial van configuration (which cannot be marketed here due to old regulations). Deliveries to Canadian customers should start sometime in early 2024.
It's interesting to note that Volkswagen is testing ID.Buzz Cargo prototypes with Level 4 autonomous drive capabilities, which means that they can operate without drivers under certain conditions. The company is targeting commercial transportation (of people and goods) for 2025.
