Volkswagen I.D. Buzz Reportedly Heading to Production
Volkswagen brand boss Herbert Diess has said that VW will build a production car based on the I.D. Buzz concept.
Diess made the comment to the U.K.’s Auto Express, at the launch of the sixth generation Polo on Friday.
“Emotional cars are very important for the brand,” Diess is quoted at saying. “We are selling loads of Beetles still, particularly in U.S. markets. But we will also have the Microbus that we showed, which we have recently decided we will build.”
The I.D. Buzz was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year and pays homage to the T1 Transporter.
It had been widely reported that the ID Buzz was a favorite within the company, with people like Diess pushing for its production, but the volume of Microbus-esque concepts preceding this one that never made it to production led to skepticism about its chances of becoming a reality.
SEE ALSO: Volkswagen ID Buzz Concept the Microbus of the Future
With modern materials making the design of crash-structures easier, and no bulky engine to fit in the I.D. Buzz, VW argued from the outset that a flat-front vehicle could realistically be produced.
Sitting on the MEB pure-electric platform, the Buzz will have 373 miles of range and the capacity for AWD. And with the electric motors and batteries tucked away neatly under the car, there will be room for up to eight passengers.
The MEB platform is VW’s attempt at breaking into the electric car market with an affordable range of cars. With a plan to sell 2 million to 3 million electric vehicles annually by 2025, representatives from the company have suggested that sales of electric cars will take over from the dwindling diesel sales.
The I.D. Buzz is only one of the concepts that VW has shown on the electric platform. The I.D. (a hatchback) and the I.D. Crozz (a crossover) have also been shown.
The first production cars based on the MEB platform are slated to hit the streets in 2020.
A version of this story originally appeared on VW Vortex
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Sebastien is a roving reporter who covers Euros, domestics, and all things enthusiast. He has been writing about the automotive industry for four years and obsessed with it his whole life. He studied English at the Wilfrid Laurier University. Sebastien also edits for AutoGuide's sister sites VW Vortex, Fourtitude, Swedespeed, GM Inside News, All Ford Mustangs, and more.
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