The Volkswagen ID. Buzz camper van
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz camper van
Going beyond its prototype, with its hitherto hidden corners, mysterious rear cabin and seating arrangement, the eagerly-awaited all-electric ID. Buzz is now out in the open – and by the looks of it, has all the virtues required to thrive.
It’s what potential owners tend to look for in a van-type vehicle – and VW have made sure they get this gimme more than right.
For a start, the ID. Buzz’s cavernous boot is more than ample for a hefty load of luggage of sport, relaxation or business – even with five people and their belongings. In fact, the ID. Buzz’s boot space is larger (a 1,000+ litre load bay) than a standard hatchback with rear seats folded down.
For awkwardly shaped or longer items, a single seat can be folded down allowing for easier transportation.
Volkswagen has retained their famous camper van’s timeless two-tone paint system. Plus, the paint is organic.
Its charming dumpy look also harks back to the classic camper with its association in the mainstream consciousness of the Swinging Sixties or of being bedecked in football supporter flags on journeys around Europe.
The front from first glance has an awkward charm; there’s a frowning smile on show thanks to the horizontal panel linking the ID. Buzz headlights with their LED daytime running lights, while a stencil-looking lattice pattern spans the bumper from wheel arch to wheel arch – a noticeable but inoffensive quirk.
Those wheels, meanwhile, range from 18-inch alloys to 21 inches in diameter, depending on the trim.
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Apart from the all-electric powertrain, the ID. Buzz camper has other eco-friendly touches which go beyond being mere gimmicks.
Seating comes equipped with SEAQUAL fabric, a synthetic material made from recycled sea plastic. SEAQUAL will also be making an appearance in other VW-Group manufacturers, such as SEAT and CUPRA, as they have recently struck up formal partnerships to produce seating in their forthcoming models. Within the cabin, the ‘leather’ (more accurately, leather-effect) dash and upholstery are all ‘animal free’.
The ID. Buzz has sliding doors on both rear passenger sides which, when opened and combined with its generous footwell space, allows someone to walk through the cabin; great for cleaning it out, trying to fit child seats or pet carriers on one side, and making for an easy exit from the vehicle.
From the conceptual to the everyday practical, the front interior boasts an array of helpful spaces for storage and convenience. These include the ‘Buzz Box’, a handy feature which allows the central console to essentially be removed and be used for storage; it also features a neat little utensil that doubles as both an ice scraper and a bottle opener (intended in the driver’s case for Orangina or glass bottles of cola, of course) – or later, a perfect tool for a night stop and setting up camp.
The ID. Buzz’s 10-inch infotainment system, containing the app-pairing prowess for Apple and Android that an owner would expect, is also a window to a number of smart features, including live tracking of potential road hazards and alerts from other ID. Buzzes thanks to its Car2X on-board system.
Overall, the manufacturer says the van boasts 30 assistance systems available to the driver.
The ID. Buzzes sold in the UK have 77 kWh batteries with a 201bhp motor, giving them around 250 miles’ range, at least 230 miles longer than 80% of UK road journeys. But clearly, this car is a lifestyle choice for marquee trips rather than humdrum runs for bread and milk. So, whether this EV offering assuages range anxiety in an increasingly ambitious category remains to be seen.
Plug and Charge, the multi-operator EV charging network, could become an ID. Buzz owner’s best friend, with automatic charging and one bill. There is also two-directional charging built into the ID. Buzz, meaning if there’s a power cut in the house, a fully charged car will be able to provide power in place of the mains (for a limited time at least). That’s pretty far-reaching power for a humble van.
While we’re talking about the charging point (this is more an outer design aspect), the charging socket opens up, but is placed in such as a way that the sliding right rear passenger doesn’t hit it or bump a hand that’s busy installing a charging plug.
What we can say is that Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz has carved a niche for itself by rejuvenating an idea that predates ‘van life’ as we know it today and taking it beyond the outdoor vehicle landscape currently bossed by SUVs, the odd MPV, and self-made iterations. This van is a ready-made outdoor lifestyle machine with a progressive power source – one that works both ways so your fully-charged home from home can temporarily power your actual one, if you need it to.
