Long-wheelbase ID. Buzz at VW Bus Festival

Hollywood star Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Trainspotting) will present the long-wheelbase ID. Buzz electric bus at the VW Bus Festival in Hanover (June 23-25).

The long-wheelbase EV van with space for up to seven people will be on show to the European public for the first time, following the ID. Buzz Pro with five seats and the ID. Buzz Cargo.

The new variant’s range isn’t provided, VW only saying that it’s “longer”.

Volkswagen says its large ID. Buzz has been launched in North America with the “Made in Germany” Hanover version for Europe and for Canada and the US too, deliveries expected to start next year.

The new ID. Buzz with long wheelbase had its world premiere on June 2 (which VW says is now a new US holiday known as “Volkswagen Bus Day”) as part of a VW bus meet-up in the US, at the Huntington Beach surfing spot on the Pacific Coast Highway near Los Angeles.

VW has the new long-wheelbase ID. Buzz is one of the most spacious electric vehicles, which has a large luggage compartment (up to 2469 litres of cargo space}.

Almost five metres long, the large ID. Buzz can now be used in a wider variety of ways, VW says.

Depending on the configuration, this ID. Buzz can be used as a five-seater (two/three), six-seater (two/two/two) with individual seats and armrests in the second row of seats, and as a seven-seater (two/three/two).

The front passenger seat, outer seats in the second row and the seats in the third row are equipped with ISOFIX and top tether child seat anchor points as standard.

In winter, a new heat pump increases efficiency.

The large ID. Buzz reaches 100km/h in 7.9 seconds, while an all-wheel-drive version (GTX) with an output of 250kW has been announced for 2024 and will go from zero to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds.

The net energy content of the standard battery is 77kWh (gross 82kWh) and can be charged from 10 to 80% in 25 minutes. At home or at AC charging stations, the battery is usually charged using 11kW.

Other new features include a head-up display, a next-generation infotainment system and remote parking via smartphone. A newly designed high-tech panoramic sunroof – the largest of all Volkswagen models – evokes memories of the “Samba bus” of the 1950s, VW adds.

The design of the ID. Buzz with long wheelbase (LWB) was created in parallel to the normal wheelbase (NWB) version, the latter 4712mm long while the new LWB variant is 4962mm, the extra length achieved by increasing the wheelbase from 2989mm to 3239mm. At the sides, the additional 250mm is distributed between the sliding doors, which are 192mm wider, and the 58mm longer areas between the C-pillars and the rear wheels.

Both models are 1985mm wide without exterior mirrors, and up to 1927mm high depending on the equipment. The Cd (drag) value is 0.29.

The two wheelbase versions of the ID. Buzz share the characteristically short and snappy body overhangs as well as VW bus design which includes the V-shaped bonnet, LED headlights and the classic VW bus rear end with the LED tail-light strip, which is continuous in the ID. Buzz. Five different two-tone paint finishes include a new combination of Mono Silver (lower body area) and Candy White (upper area).

VW says the long wheelbase ID. Buzz is one of the few EVs that can easily accommodate paragliding equipment, plus can include bikes and boards.

Combined power consumption is 22-20.6kWh/100 (WLTP).