When Will Volkswagen Release Its Highly-Anticipated Electric Microbus?
Andrew Koole
· 4 min read
Since 2017, Volkswagen has teased drivers with its ID.Buzz, an electric van inspired by the beloved
microbus
of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Originally used as a symbol to turn the page on the disastrous diesel emissions scandal that began in 2014, Volkswagen’s concept van popped in and out of news feeds over the last five years. Now, the automaker has finally offered details regarding the ID.Buzz’s powertrain and promises to bring the microbus to the American market in 2023.
When it arrives, the Buzz will join Volkswagen’s growing ID family. The all-electric fleet’s first American release, the ID.4, can already be pre-ordered and will be at dealerships this fall. In July, Volkswagen announced the ID.8, a midsized sibling to the compact SUV slated for release in 2022.
The news so far on Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz
When Volkswagen first unveiled the ID.Buzz concept, industry experts were skeptical that the automaker would actually produce and sell the van.
The German car brand was still trying to recover after the investigators caught the automaker programming its vehicles to cheat on emissions tests. Concept vehicles like the ID.Buzz were seen as attempts to distract from the mud on Volkswagen’s face.
But after 2017, Volkswagen continued to leak details about its plans for the microbus, as if to tell the world that the ID.Buzz was not a joke. In March, they added weight to their words, announcing the van’s 200 horsepower rear-wheel drive and 300 horsepower all-wheel drive options, along with release dates for Europe and North America.
Car and Driver
reports that Volkswagen will first launch the ID.Buzz in Europe before it reaches American shores in 2023.MORE: Volkswagen Plans to Implement Pay-Per-Use Car Technology
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Volkswagen’s other EV plans
Volkswagen’s electrification goals reach far beyond the ID.Buzz and its siblings. The company’s EV family is part of a decades-long strategy to transition away from gas power, reach carbon neutrality, and surpass Tesla as the largest EV supplier in the world.
According to the
New York Times
, the automaker plans to build six battery factories in Europe. Besides the ID.4, ID.8, and the Buzz, the company also released the ID.3, a compact car that resembles the Golf, in Europe and has shared concepts for three other EVs slated for North American, European, and Chinese markets.Volkswagen’s plans for EV domination might still be in their infancy, but the company’s size and legacy will give it a leg up against the many other auto manufacturers vying for space in the quickly expanding market.
Things to consider before buying an electric VW
MORE: EVs Will Start To Take Over Sooner Than You Expect
If you’re ready to forgive Volkswagen for its past sins and you want to join the EV revolution, the company’s ID family might be right for you. But before you pay for your new electric vehicle, there are a few things you should know.
First off, most EV drivers will need home chargers, which cost $1,000 to $10,000, according to
Edmunds
. You’ll also most likely have to pay pricey dealership rates for maintenance and repairs.But going electric doesn’t have to be expensive. Maintenance costs might be higher for EVs, but they tend to be needed less often than for internal combustion engines.
On top of that, charging is cheaper than filling up at the gas station, and tax incentives and car insurance discounts can bring transition costs down even further.
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