The 2024 Volkswagen ID.Buzz intends to address a completely untapped market in the electric vehicle industry. The ID.Buzz's vintage design is inspired by the legendary VW Bus from the German firm, which inspired the new van's retro style. The new electric bus has gone on sale in Germany, and it is likely to be available in the UK later this year, while deliveries to the United States may not begin until 2024.
The ID.Buzz will be built on Volkswagen's Modular Electric Drive (MEB) architecture, which also supports company vehicles including the Audi e-tron crossover and the VW ID.4 crossover. The ID.Buzz will be available in both a commercial (I.D. Buzz Cargo) and passenger version in Europe first. A single rear-mounted electric motor with 204 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque will power the standard model.
VW I.D. Buzz Cargo Van
Battery Capacity
The ID. Buzz features a 77kWh battery with a range of roughly 250 miles. The battery can be charged from 5% to 80% capacity in 30 minutes using a powerful enough DC source because it has 170kW charging on board. The ID. Buzz will also come equipped with bi-directional charging, allowing you to charge the car at home while also feeding energy from the battery back into the grid.
Interior and Cargo Space
The ID.Buzz's inside is spacious and customizable, which is one of its distinguishing features. For rear-seat occupants, the front chairs have adjustable armrests and tables that fold out of the backrests. Up to eight USB-C charging ports are located throughout the cabin, and the 'Buzz Box' is a novel addition. This is a central storage container that rests between the front seats and has an ice scraper and bottle opener in the top compartment, bottle storage, and a huge five-litre drawer for larger items. In the cargo area, an adjustable load floor can be installed, providing 40 cubic feet of storage space.
VW I.D. Buzz Interior
Infotainment Features
The ID. Buzz has a lot of technology, most of which is carried over from the ID.3 and ID.4. The driver's display is 5.4 inches, and the 10 or 12-inch touchscreen infotainment systems are located in the centre of the dashboard. Touch-sensitive climate controls, like with other ID models, are included, as are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, online connectivity, and voice control.
Driver-Assistance Capabilities
The ID.Buzz comes with a wide range of standard and optional driver-assistance features. Volkswagen also includes a memory function for the self-parking assist, which is believed to work on previously saved routes.
What Is Bidirectional Charging?
Bidirectional charging refers to EV charging that works in two directions: drawing power from the grid to charge the EV's battery and drawing power from the battery to power other loads as needed. With bidirectional charging, an EV can assist in powering a home, company, the energy grid, another car, or specified loads.
While charging, alternating current (AC) power from the grid is converted to direct current (DC) voltage and stored in the vehicle's battery. EV drivers can then use the battery's energy to power a home or feed electricity back into the grid. This is accomplished by converting DC electricity to AC electricity. This is done by a converter in the vehicle or in the charger itself.
Few EV manufacturers currently offer bidirectional charging. Depending on the demands and capabilities, bidirectional charging can be employed in a variety of applications.
- Vehicles interacting with the utility grid and supplying power as needed is known as Vehicle To Grid (V2G).
- Vehicle To Home (V2H) electric cars may offer power to a home or workplace through their electrical panels, which is especially useful during power outages.
- Vehicles with a built-in DC to AC inverter as well as a standard power outlet, is known as Vehicle To Load (V2L). It allows putting the load into the outlet while the battery is charging. This capability is intended to be included in the Tesla Cybertruck.
- Vehicle To Vehicle (V2V) is a feature that enables an EV to provide some power to another.
