VW ID.Buzz electric microbus could start for less than $50,000

VW ID.Buzz, Volkswagen’s revival of the classic microbus as a modern electric vehicle, could start for less than $50,000, according to a German report.

The German automaker unveiled the I.D. BUZZ electric microbus in Detroit back in 2017.

At first glance, it looked like just one more cool electric vehicle concept that Volkswagen was teasing but would never bring to market.

However, the company surprised many by stating that it was serious about bringing a version of the vehicle to market by 2023.

The company even invested in the production of the electric microbus in the US.

Now, we are getting closer to production, and some details about the production version of the vehicle are reportedly leaking in Germany.

With the concept, VW was talking about the vehicle being equipped with a massive 111 kWh battery pack enabling a significant range.

Now, Germany’s Edison states in a report sighting sources within VW that the automaker is planning two versions with ~60 kWh and ~100 kWh packs:

“The battery formats differ from ID.3 and ID.4. According to the current state of affairs, the inexpensive entry-level version has a battery with around 60 kWh, which should be good for a good 300 kilometers range (according to the WLTP standard). According to VW findings, an ideal value for short-haul traffic in larger cities. The large battery, on the other hand, is planned with around 100 kWh – the more than 500 kilometers range should make the bus fully suitable for travel.”

However, it’s unclear if both packs are going to be available for all versions of the ID.BUZZ.

VW has previously unveiled a consumer version that could be a great solution for families and people who want to live the “van life.”

The automaker also unveiled a cargo version that it plans to sell through its commercial vehicle division.

Edison’s report also includes the current expected pricing for the VW ID.BUZZ, which they say could start between 40,000 and 60,000 euros depending on the version.

That’s the equivalent of ~$47,500 to $71,300 USD, but the prices will change in different markets depending on taxes and EV incentives.

VW also plans to use the ID.BUZZ as a platform for its autonomous driving technology, and the report states that they have now started testing their system with the electric van in Germany.