Volkswagen is gearing up to reveal a bigger version of its electric ID. Buzz van.
Ahead of its reveal, spy photographers have snapped photos of two ID. Buzz long wheelbase passenger vans wearing no camouflage.
Volkswagen has nothing to hide on the prototypes, with the only noticeable exterior differences to the existing ID. Buzz being the length of its wheelbase and larger sliding doors.
Volkswagen says the LWB vehicle should be popular with people looking for more space for passengers and cargo, as you’d expect.
The brand is reportedly going to offer a 2-3-2 or 2-2-3 seating configurations, with the latter including captain’s chairs that swivel 180 degrees towards the third row. The seats can also be removed to free up extra cargo space.
The wheelbase on the LWB will reportedly be 4962mm, an increase of 250mm compared to the existing ID. Buzz.
That would make the LWB Buzz smaller than a Kia Carnival, but approximately the same length, 100mm wider and 148mm longer wheelbase as a Toyota Alphard which is commonly privately imported to Australia.
Outputs for the longer wheelbase model haven’t been outlined as of yet, but Volkswagen has confirmed it will feature a twin-motor all-wheel drive powertrain option.
Volkswagen has confirmed passenger and cargo versions of the SWB are coming to Australia, and has its hand up for the LWB when it’s revealed. The short wheelbase version was released in Europe during 2022.
Volkswagen is aiming to bring the SWB Buzz to Australia in mid-2024. Local timing for the LWB obviously hasn’t been confirmed, but it’s expected to arrive in the USA during 2024 – albeit as a 2025 model.
Volkswagen confirmed there will be a 250kW ID. Buzz GTX available for the SWB. All other ID models will also receive a GTX variant.
“We will continuously expand this brand and offer a GTX variant for every ID. model in the future – from ID.3 to the ID. Buzz,” said Mr Bagschik.
The ID.Buzz in its long wheelbase guise may share the same dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain as the ID.4 Pro that boasts 195kW, the sporty ID.4 GTX with 220kW, or perhaps something completely different altogether.
Volkswagen currently sells the ID. Buzz in Europe in its SWB guise with a 150kW/310Nm motor driving its rear wheels, and connected to a 77kWh battery pack.
The same powertrain is used across the Volkswagen Group’s electric vehicle line-up including Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4, and ID.5, Cupra Born, Audi Q4 e-tron, and Skoda Enyaq iV.
It has been a long journey for a Kombi-inspired ID.Buzz to enter the market.
Australia has long received similar vehicles including the Multivan and Caravelle, which are genuine successors to older Kombi models with their flexible interiors – but don’t have retro exteriors like the ID. Buzz.
In 2001, Volkswagen revealed the Microbus concept which featured a fairly similar design language to the Kombi, it was targeted towards the US market.
Plans for the production model were canceled a few years later.
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