I have to admit, I’ve rarely been as conflicted about a new car as I am with the Volkswagen ID. Buzz. Perhaps my expectations were too high, fueled by a somewhat romantic, if perhaps naive, vision of Volkswagen resurrecting the spirit of the iconic Microbus. Even setting aside the rose-tinted glasses of a bygone era I wasn’t even part of, the original VW Microbus always represented something significant to me. It was a vehicle of incredibly practical design that somehow looped back around to become charming and quirky, brimming with character, utility, and a rebellious, anti-establishment vibe. It’s one of those vehicles that never fails to bring a smile to my face, and every journey I’ve taken in one, whether behind the wheel or as a passenger, is etched in my memory as a joyful experience. So, yes, anticipating that level of emotional resonance from any modern vehicle is probably asking too much. And yet, here we are with the Volkswagen ID. Buzz. There’s so much to genuinely appreciate about this electric reincarnation of the classic Bus, but it falters in one critical area, leaving me with a sense of profound disappointment.
It feels necessary to preface any discussion about the ID. Buzz with a recap of my previous encounters with this vehicle, as its launch has been nothing short of protracted, stretching out over what feels like an eternity in automotive time. My first experience was back in 2022, driving the European short-wheelbase version. Then, in 2023, I was present at a grand reveal event where I saw the US-market long-wheelbase version for the first time. And finally, last October, I had the opportunity to actually drive the long-wheelbase ID. Buzz at yet another launch event. Volkswagen certainly knows how to put on a good show, so I’m not complaining about the experiences themselves, but it does represent a considerable two-year build-up for the release of a single vehicle.
Volkswagen ID Buzz launch events and anticipation over the years.
In reality, the anticipation stretches back even further, perhaps 24 years, to 2001 when Volkswagen initially teased the concept of a reborn Microbus.
Buzz 2001
Recently, I was given the chance to spend a full week with an ID. Buzz. Knowing this opportunity was on the horizon, I realized there was one crucial test I needed to conduct, something I hadn’t been able to do during the orchestrated press events: a genuine road trip. A road trip involving hours of highway driving, far removed from the carefully curated routes and ever-present support staff that characterize press drives. I needed to experience the ID. Buzz in the messy reality of everyday highway driving, to see how it performed when truly put to the test.
The Road Trip Test for the Volkswagen ID Buzz
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This road trip test was essential because I needed to validate a suspicion that had been growing with each previous encounter with the Buzz: that despite its many positive attributes, the decision to make it a purely battery-electric vehicle has significantly hampered its potential. This suspicion wasn’t born from the vehicle’s weaknesses, but rather from its strengths. The Volkswagen Id Buzz boasts incredibly intelligent packaging, resulting in a remarkably spacious interior within its streamlined, boxy silhouette. Every row of seats, even the often-cramped third row, offers generous legroom and headroom, creating an overall sense of spaciousness.
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Luggage space is ample, even with all seats in use, and with the middle row folded and the rear seats removed, the cargo area becomes truly cavernous. My point is that the Volkswagen ID Buzz is inherently designed for road trips. So, I embarked on one!
It wasn’t an epic cross-country journey, but a respectable trip from my home in central North Carolina to the charming, Spanish moss-draped city of Savannah, Georgia. A drive of approximately five hours, or so it should be under normal circumstances. It was a relatively light road trip, just two occupants and minimal luggage. The Buzz, of course, is capable of handling far more.
The Range Problem of the Volkswagen ID Buzz
But here’s the fundamental issue: the Volkswagen ID Buzz, despite being an exceptional road trip vehicle in many respects, is constrained by what is essentially a city car’s driving range.
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The official EPA range rating for the rear-wheel-drive version I tested is 234 miles. However, this is a combined cycle figure and doesn’t accurately reflect real-world highway road trip range. During my test, conducted in generally cold weather that necessitated heater use, with the battery charged to 90% (upped from the default 80%), and driving at typical highway speeds of 65 to 75 mph, I consistently achieved a range of only 170 to 190 miles, often less. The navigation system, understandably, prompts you to find charging stations well before you reach critically low range levels.
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Realistically, this translates to charging stops every 150 to 160 miles, approximately every two hours. This is simply not sufficient for comfortable road tripping. And when you do stop to charge, the process is nowhere near as convenient or quick as a gasoline fill-up.
This isn’t a flaw inherent to the Volkswagen ID Buzz itself, but rather a consequence of the current state of EV charging infrastructure in America. And in the context of road trips, the often-touted advantage of home charging becomes less relevant. For daily commutes, with a Level 2 charger at home, the inadequacies of public charging infrastructure are less impactful.
However, on a road trip, the charging infrastructure becomes paramount.
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Road trips demand the fastest possible chargers because slower chargers are incredibly time-consuming. After my road trip, attempting to find a local charger, I encountered one that provided a mere 15 miles of range per hour. From a 20% charge, reaching a decent level would require at least 8 hours.
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Fast chargers do exist, including some surprisingly branded as Mercedes-Benz, even at non-Mercedes charging locations.
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Most charging stops during my trip were about 30 minutes long, often located behind retail stores like Walmart, frequently adjacent to stacks of shipping containers. The charging experience is far from glamorous, and it’s not inexpensive. Each charging session for the Volkswagen ID Buzz averaged $40 to $45, and I needed to charge at least twice on the round trip, making it potentially more expensive than fueling a comparable gasoline vehicle for the same journey.
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EV charging, frankly, is often unpleasant. While EVs offer numerous benefits, the charging experience is not one of them. Charger reliability can also be an issue, with chargers occasionally malfunctioning, mirroring the frustration of a crashing computer.
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The upcoming Tesla Supercharger adapter for CCS vehicles might improve things, but it still won’t match the ease and speed of gasoline refueling, which remains the benchmark, whether entirely fair or not.
The Source of Frustration with the Volkswagen ID Buzz
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So, what is the intended purpose of the Volkswagen ID Buzz, then? In its cargo configuration, the platform is undeniably ideal for local deliveries. It excels in that role. However, the passenger ID Buzz, in both form and spirit, is designed to be a road trip machine. A vehicle that embodies freedom, enabling you to explore, travel with loved ones, and bring everything you need.
And it’s important to remember that the Volkswagen ID Buzz carries a price tag of around $60,000. It’s not an inexpensive vehicle.
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And it excels in so many ways. The interior of the test vehicle, while featuring a darker motif that I personally find less appealing than the brighter, more playful color schemes, is incredibly spacious and comfortable. The multi-zone climate control is highly effective, the audio system is impressive, and it’s the kind of environment where you and up to seven passengers can enjoy extended journeys together.
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However, a significant portion of those journeys may be spent waiting at charging stations, often in uninspiring locations.
The Volkswagen ID Buzz has so much going for it. It drives wonderfully. The acceleration is surprisingly brisk – remarkable when compared to the original VW Bus. Highway driving is smooth, the low center of gravity due to the battery pack contributes to excellent roadholding, and the handling, for such a tall vehicle, is surprisingly agile. The brakes are also excellent, a fact I can personally attest to after narrowly avoiding a deer encounter thanks to their responsiveness.
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Visually, it’s also a standout. The two-tone paint scheme is undeniably eye-catching, contributing significantly to its appeal. It doesn’t resemble anything else on the road, drawing attention and smiles wherever it goes. And it’s still fundamentally a minivan – a genuinely cool minivan, a feat Volkswagen has successfully achieved.
It’s fast, spacious, practical, stylish, comfortable – it’s almost everything you could want. Except its usability is fundamentally compromised. For in-town driving, it’s perfectly adequate, but that misses the point. This vehicle is inherently a road trip machine. It’s tantalizingly close to perfection in that role, but its limited range prevents it from truly fulfilling its potential.
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It’s deeply frustrating. It’s akin to cloning Leonardo DaVinci, creating a perfect replica in every way, except for the crucial detail that he can’t actually paint or draw. It’s DaVinci, but…
A Potential Solution for the Volkswagen ID Buzz
What amplifies the frustration is that this limitation seems solvable. If the Volkswagen ID Buzz were offered as a hybrid or with a range extender, it would be transformative. A Buzz equipped with a range extender – perhaps similar to what Volkswagen is planning for the new Scout brand – would unlock its full potential.
And it’s a feasible concept. Consider this:
Buzz Range Extend
The battery pack could be slightly reduced in size, making space for a combustion engine. Perhaps a horizontally opposed engine, with the fuel tank positioned at the front. Does this configuration sound familiar?
Oldbuscutaway
Indeed, it echoes the layout of the original VW Bus.
A range-extended Volkswagen ID Buzz could function as an all-electric vehicle for daily use, while offering the unrestricted long-distance capability of a gasoline car for road trips.
But that’s not the current reality. Influenced partly by the lingering shadow of Dieselgate, the Volkswagen ID Buzz is a remarkable vehicle constrained by external factors. Converting it to a range-extended EV/hybrid would resolve these limitations. In its current form, the ID. Buzz evokes a sense of sadness.
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Sadness not just for what could have been, but for what almost is. Volkswagen needs to critically reassess the Buzz and complete the job correctly. They possess all the necessary components; they simply need to assemble them. They are so close to creating something truly exceptional, and I sincerely hope they will.
