► Volswagen Microbus to return
► Based on ID Buzz EV concept
► Due 2022, confirmed at Monterey
Volkswagen has committed to bringing its Microbus minivan back from the dead – as a heavily stylised, all-electric fashion wagon.
It’s due in showrooms in 2022 and will be based heavily on the ID Buzz concept car (pictured above).
The announcement came ahead of the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, California. Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess (above right, with the head of VW’s vans division) said: ‘This vehicle unites past and future as well as Pebble Beach and the Silicon Valley.
‘The vehicle is an important pillar in Volkswagen’s electric drive initiative and carries the Microbus driving feeling into the future.’
Volkswagen ID Buzz: what we know
The ID Buzz concept car was first shown at the Detroit motor show, hinting that the classic camper vibe could be attached to Wolfsburg’s fledgling EV range dubbed ID.
It is 4942mm long, 1976mm wide and 1963mm high, giving it enough space to accommodate couples or young families; make no mistake, it’s smaller than a full-sized VW California, however.
Volkswagen has promised the production version will ‘incorporate many design ideas from the concept car. It will also feature variable seating, interactive connectivity and highly automated driving’ to make it one of the most practical MPVs around.
A flurry of electric VWs
The ID range is about to explode, as Volkswagen seeks to accelerate its push into EVs post-dieselgate emissions scandal.
The four-door ID will arrive first, but the Buzz camper is due soon after by 2022. It will be aimed at North America, Europe and China.
By 2030, Volkswagen is confident it’ll have 30 all-electric models on sale.
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