Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric Kombi revival confirmed for Australia in 2025
The battery-powered Volkswagen ID. Buzz people-mover and delivery van have been locked in for Australia in 2025, with prices that could top $100,000.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz – the electric reboot of the classic Kombi – has been given the green light for Australian showrooms in 2025, in people-mover and delivery van forms.
After indicating late last year plans were in motion to introduce the ID. Buzz, Volkswagen Australia has now received approval from head office, as two of five new electric vehicles due within two years.
The ID. Buzz people-mover and ID. Buzz Cargo van are due to enter production for Australia at the end of 2024, ahead of first local showroom arrivals expected in early 2025.
This is about six to nine months later than the targeted timing of mid 2024 given last year, before the green light had been given for Australian production.
Volkswagen is yet to outline the model range for Australia, though the company has previously said it is interested in all variants available overseas, including rear- or all-wheel drive, short or long wheelbases, up to seven seats, and smaller or larger battery packs.
If UK prices are a guide, a base-model commercial van could cost $AU65,000, while a top-of-the-range people mover with rear-wheel drive may cost more than $AU100,000.
Volkswagen executives told Drive last year the ID. Buzz range is forecast to outsell the diesel-engined 'T6.1' Transporter, Caravelle, California and Multivan range, which reported 1939 sales last year.
"We're in the multiples of thousands – there's a big opportunity," Volkswagen Australia commercial vehicles director Ryan Davies told Drive last year, when asked about a sales target for the ID. Buzz.
"We've provided some projections to the factory that are pretty aggressive, but I don't think that will be reflected in the first year, or even two years. I think we'll be restricted by global [demand]."
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz was unveiled for Europe this time last year, with styling inspired by the Volkswagen 'Type 2' of the 1950s – known to Australians as the 'Kombi', or to Germans as the 'Bulli'.
In Europe, all models at launch are powered by a 150kW/310Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels and a 77kWh battery, good for a claimed 421km to 424km of driving range.
A long-wheelbase body with seven seats is due to launch this year, alongside a larger 111kWh battery, and ahead of a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive GTX performance variant with 250kW.
"We sell a huge mix of 4Motion [all-wheel-drive] T6.1 already, so we already have a very high previous position for 4Motion in this country, so we don't really see that changing," Mr Davies told Drive last year.
"We would have a good mix of all-wheel drive. We haven't determined yet what the mix of five-seater and seven-seater would be, but we would take both. And in terms of GTX, we would be jumping all over that."
Volkswagen Australia says it plans to commence production of five electric vehicles by the end of 2024: the ID.3 hatchback, ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs, and the ID. Buzz twins.
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