Sigh. Another day, another EV model order book opens … somewhere else in the world. Volkswagen has just announced it is opening its pre-order books in the UK for the much-anticipated reboot of the Kombi Van – the ID. Buzz.
The reason I note this now (order books for the ID. Buzz opened in Germany and most European countries a couple of weeks ago) is that, like Australia, the UK is a right-hand drive (RHD) market.
This means that VW is effectively announcing the beginning of RHD drive production, which obviously opens the option for it to come to Australia.
Sadly though, according to VW Australia, the ID.Buzz will not be seen here until 2024 or beyond – and any arrival will likely be timed to follow the release of VW’s ID.4, ID.5 and ID.3 models. (None of which have formal dates set for their Australian releases).
In the queue for the ID.Buzz
So what will the Poms be getting for their £2,000 ($A3,500) pre-booking fee?
As a piece of marketing hype – it certainly creates more buzz around the upcoming ID. Buzz, but it actually only places you at the front of the queue to “secure access to a priority ordering window before order books open officially in July 2022.”
That’s when the real action will happen and people can formally order a passenger or cargo version of the ID. Buzz. First deliveries (in continental Europe at least) are expected to begin in their autumn (Sept – Nov) this year.
They won’t be cheap though: a 1st Edition passenger version will set you back £63,000 ($A110,000) on the road, with the more basic Life passenger version ‘only’ setting you back £57,115.00 ($A99,500).
Alternatively, a cargo version of the ID. Buzz would set you back €54,430.60 ($A80,800). Mind you, in the UK, drivers can deduct a commercial van EV rebate (a maximum 20% to a maximum of £8000/$A12,000). If that applied here – it could bring the price of the Cargo down to just under Au$70,000.
For that, you get a 77kWh battery and 415km range (WLTP). Standard features in Europe that we will likely see here include a 5.3-inch digital instrument binnacle, 10-inch centre touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, LED headlights, 19-inch wheels, autonomous emergency braking, and front and rear parking sensors.
Eco-conscious production footprint
Mind you, it is possible to see why the previous federal government came to hate EVs – VW were keen to include in their press release that the ID.Buzz is built with meeting overall greenhouse gas emission reduction measures in mind.
The ID.Buzz goes beyond just its EV drivetrain for reducing on-the-road emissions and incorporates measures to reduce its production environmental footprint too – including the use of recycled synthetic materials, a leather-free interior and ‘sustainable components’ such as the battery housings and wheel rims being made from green aluminium and tyres sourced from low-emission production.
Overall, it sounds like an excellent BEV package for both people mover and commercial van applications. The only two questions left are:
- Will we ever see it here? and
- Will it fall enough in price to be affordable by larger families and the ever cost-conscious business market?
Bryce Gaton is an expert on electric vehicles and contributor for The Driven and Renew Economy. He has been working in the EV sector since 2008 and is currently working as EV electrical safety trainer/supervisor for the University of Melbourne. He also provides support for the EV Transition to business, government and the public through his EV Transition consultancy EVchoice.