By 
- Volkswagen releases documentary following the development process of the VW ID. Buzz from concept to production.
- The automaker unveiled the European versions of the ID. Buzz in March, but US buyers likely won't see the EV in the metal until late 2023.
- VW plans a number of versions of the electric MPV globally, including a panel van for deliveries and a luxury camper.
Few vehicles in recent memory have endured a more closely watched development cycle than the VW ID. Buzz. While many of our readers probably remember the retro-themed 2001 Microbus concept (which still looks fantastic, by the way), the more direct impetus for Wolfsburg's development of an electric model was tied to the darkest days of Volkswagen's diesel crisis, which still feels simultaneously recent, but also quite distant in many ways. The crisis itself forced a reckoning within Volkswagen, hastening the demise of not only the diesel era but also an understanding that gas-engined models may not be around forever.
The automaker's newfound electric religion prompted a flurry of concepts to emerge, with a Microbus-styled model once again quickly making its way to the top. The ID. Buzz concept, as it was dubbed at the time, was among the first new electric models to be greenlit by the management in Wolfsburg, though its journey from concept to production would not be as short as that of another gas-engined model.
A new documentary by Volkswagen, featured below, offers a close look at the journey of the ID. Buzz from concept to production, providing a rare glimpse at Wolfsburg's design and development process.
The documentary may be long, but it's not as long as US buyers who've had their eye on the ID. Buzz will still have to wait to merely touch one on a dealership lot.
That's right: The recent reveal of the ID. Buzz came with a side order of more waiting, but at least those impatient enough won't be tempted to get anything else in the meantime, because there are hardly any cars on dealerships lots at the moment, and also because none of them are electric MPVs.
With Volkswagen having taken all the camo off the ID. Buzz last month, it's safe to say that prospective buyers are now in the home stretch, with the model scheduled to enter production in a matter of months, going on sale in Europe late this summer.
The ID. Buzz that will come to the US in 2023 will certainly be the crowd-pleaser: a long-wheelbase model with three rows of seats, and an even larger battery than the 82-kWh slab headed to the European version that goes into production this summer. All of this is good news for those who have wanted to get the top model with all the trimmings, but those on a budget won't be able to opt for something with minimal luxuries and a shorter wheelbase, like in Europe.
Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.
