[rcl_full_bleed_images left_image=/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/vw-bus-2-0120.jpg left_image_caption=”(left to right) VW’s iconic microbus and new I.D. Buzz Microbus (Getty Images/ Volkswagen)” ]
Deadheads rejoice! Volkswagen has updated its iconic microbus with the I.D. Buzz, which debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The Buzz is a high-volume, electric microbus that boasts a zero-emissions engine and a fully autonomous driving mode, a first for a multipurpose vehicle. Pushing the steering wheel switches the Buzz from manual control to its “I.D. Pilot” mode, accompanied by changes in the vehicle’s lighting and steering column system. Volkswagen hopes to integrate this feature into production by 2025.
Even without that, the I.D. Buzz is pretty impressive. The interior design is roomy, with a multi-variable seating layout that takes full advantage of its measurements: 194.6 inches long by 77.8 inches wide.
That’s not the only comfortable thing about the Buzz. Its technical concept includes a silent drive system, a 129.9-inch wheelbase, and a floor-mounted battery that distributes the vehicle’s weight and gravity evenly. Alone with the multilink rear suspension, integrated drive units, and decoupled subframes at front and rear, the Buzz handles exceptionally well compared to other vehicles its size.
After reading all that, don’t think that Volkswagen neglected engine power. The I.D. Buzz’s zero-emissions, all-wheel drive system generates 369 hp, with an electric driving range of 270 miles. The model shown in Detroit can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about five seconds, too.
As for the battery, it’s an 111 kWh battery that can use a Combined Charging System or an inductive charging interface, and can be charged at both charging stations and household outlets.
The I.D. Buzz is just one of several electric vehicles at the forefront of Volkswagen’s electric mobility initiative, and they hope to be selling a million of them a year by 2025.
—RealClearLife Staff
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
