@@XxXenosxX in America everything is cheaper - they have Buzz with luxury up to the very long version shown here but 60k for this one + might be correct
It’s amazing that it comes with so many standard features but I hope they also make a cheap stripped down version for people like me. I just want a barebones EV I can lay down and sleep in for camping and road trips. I don’t need heated and cooled massaging seats. They’d be nice but I’d rather pay a few thousand less and go without stuff like that. Honestly I’d rather pay $10-20,000 less and get this in a work/cargo van configuration. No rear seats at all. I don’t have kids. I’ll never use them. They’d just be in my way and take up space. Hopefully they’ll come out with a camper version but I could add the things I’ll need for way less than I’m sure they’ll charge to add them for me. Volkswagen, if you’re listening just make me an empty electric van with two front seats and nothing else! Please?
Yeah I hate how I have to pay for all these features I couldn’t care less for. I live in Seattle and it’s never really cold enough to warrant seat warmers for one thing lol
Confession, I've watched most of the American reviews of this exact vehicle, and this is the only channel that showed the capability to remove the 3rd row, add to it that they had VW demonstrate how it can be done and you've got an exclusive. Thank you!
Should be interesting to see how much range it gets and how much it costs when it arrives here in 2024. 🤔 I'm gonna guess barely 250 epa miles of range and starts at nearly 70k.
I guess WLTP 300 miles and it will start 60k USD - if it comes only totally loaded like this one, must be 70k. They are always competitive with their pricing and in America its always way cheaper then in Europe
I would agree with upper 50s to lower 60s. It can't be that much more than the 3-4 grand more than the Atlas. As for range, well under 300mi. Which is a big disappointment. A vehicle of this size begs for the cross country and sadly, I doubt it will provide.
@@wyrazowfkp price in the EU isn't in U.S. dollars, and inc vat both not applicable to me. It's also for a shorter wheelbase, shorter range 5 seat version with a 11% smaller battery pack&less powerful motor. I wouldn't mind any and all guesses on price for the U.S. market though? 👍🏻
Easily removable? It took three Volkswagen employees several trips to empty out the third row and the trays and dividers…yeah, not really a one man job…
it'd be neat if they made legs for the removable seats so you can use them at a camp site. Imagine pulling your car seat out to sit in at a local park haha
Thanks for showing the 3rd row removal and reinstallation. Looking forward to getting one when they finally have it available. I wished they had a way to reserve through VW instead of having to beg the dealerships.
@@kennethsmedley1976 VW chose not to do that due to the complaints people had when the ID4 showed up as available in dealer inventories, yet folks with reservations weren't getting their deliveries that they had reserved prior. I would love it if VW could do reservations online, but from all the press releases and video I've seen, it ain't happening for the ID Buzz, so dealer waitlists and markups will be a thing for sure.
@@chingwodapigu yep! I had an ID4 reservation almost as soon as it was announced. When they began to trickle out, I canceled due to poor reviews and stealer markup.
A camper version would be nice. It would also be nice to know if ac and heat can be used when engine is off and then recharge periodically as a hybrid does
All you have to do is take out the rear seats, somehow cover the latches of the seats and then but curtains, carpet, big pillows, a bong, a baggie full of weed, a box full of syringes, and you should be good to go 😀
Hadn’t seen those tables before in several videos - good job. They also announced there will eventually be a full minimalist camper version! Sounds like the Westfalia with pop top “bedroom” and facing seats with small table in the rear “living room” hopefully! So glad VW is bringing us the LWB 3 row for the US! 👌🏽 Won’t be cheap but will last forever - just like the old ones!!
@@beans2605 not really, VW used to have a "campers model". Doesn't matter though because it being electric and today's market it's not going to be a people's bus, it'll be the rich wagon.
@@somberrhombus There's enough already to worry about on a trip, I wouldn't want to add hunting charging stations to the mix. To each his own I suppose.
I would love this in AWD, but it needs to have an option of a larger battery pack to go along with that. Ideally would want 350-450 mile range on a full charge and only on the low side of that if they equip it with DC Fast charging similar to what the speed Kia has equipped the EV9 with.
A bigger battery would cost a lot more. It's not aerodynamic by design, which really cuts into the range. The 21 inch wheels cut into the range as well. With fast charging, the range is fine, but the charging infrastructure is still very hit and miss in the US.
I would be interested in it if available in a Cargo Version… with Ford, Nissan, Ram all killing off the small service vans those of us that buy those little vans for service work are running out of options.
Yeah, the sad thing is there is a Cargo, it's just Europe markets exclusive. Apparently there are problems with commercial style vehicle imports. Think it has something to do with local vehicle manufacturers pushing for taxes to make it unpalatable for EU and Asian manufacturers to bother. The Cargo is a bit pared down in the personal luxury features, but the cargo area is nice and open. It would probably be good as camper conversion, especially since (unless they've changed things), the centre row remains non-removable (I mean, you CAN remove it, it's not like it's indestructible, but it's not designed to be removed).
Unfortunately, that will never happen thanks to the chicken tax. What Is the Chicken Tax? The Chicken Tax is a 25% tariff on light trucks imported to the U.S. The United States imposed the tariff in 1964 through an executive order issued by President Lyndon Johnson, in retaliation against European tariffs on American chicken imports. That's why they are very careful not to call it a van...
I've been following TFL for around a half decade or so, you guys got me through some rough times. I've always though of you as the wunderkind, the child genius. Now I think of you as just plain genius. You don't need to be any kind of an edge-lord to create captivating content with a signature style and deep-dive know-how. TFL is the Chef John of automotive journalism, and I'm here for it.
@@j.j.1753 Yeah but most people want their van to last more than 5-10 years, EVs do not without replacing the expensive batteries (which would likely not be made anymore by the time they go)... aircooled VW buses from the 60s are still on the road today... (Also a van is not usually a commuter, in fact it's used for long travels often)
Hmm, it would be great if the middle row folded down. My old mini van is great for stuff because the back row folds and then the middle seats come out and you get a huge amount of space for construction stuff. But it still looks good!
awesome can't wait to see more about this. I honestly think EV Vans or micro busses provide the best over all utility for most families' over SUV's and Trucks. Just wish they would put over 100 kWh battery and similar power features of the lightning.
@@SmithMrCorona I would love to have an electric vehicle. Unfortunately for myself and many other Americans, it's just not practical. I cannot afford a house let alone installation of a charging station. So my option for charging an electric vehicle is to drive all the way across town (20min drive) and park at a Target and wait. I don't shop at target, I can't afford to just spend money on random things so the idea of shopping while I wait doesn't work for me (or many others). Not to mention, that if I leave town, it't 54 miles to the next charging station. It's just not realistic. I wish it was but for myself and millions of other Americans, Its just not a reality right now. Hopefully one day though. But, as someone who would love to have a bus like this for the sake of taking it camping and on road trips, gas is a must have. It just is.
Hey, cool, a microbus for the 1%...the only ones who'll be able to actually afford it!! It's actually cheaper to find a classic VW bus in decent condition and do an electric conversion on it. Seriously, the new one looks great and I'd be really interested in maybe getting it, but I'm not mortgaging my house to do it.
I know a few people who are in wheelchairs and I have yet to see an accessible EV for them. Perhaps this could be it? I know the e Transit has an option but not everyone likes those bus style hydraulic lifts, and having it rear mounted (versus side entry) can be more dangerous in certain situations. I’m thinking with the flexibility of an EV platform, it may be possible to make something from this?
Alright. I’ve watched the entire video. I know this is a year old. But I do have some concerns. First off the range. Abysmal for a box. I can’t imagine the battery degradation as well. For the size of the vehicle, you would think that it would have a much much bigger battery pack. Second, do not make massaging seats standard, that should definitely be an option. Third I would not opt for the storage pouch on the back of the seats and the plastic tray on the back of the seats as well because any of us with kids knows exactly what’s going to happen to those two things almost immediately. Fourth…VW isn’t known for reliability and build quality. These car makers are doing too much. Probably going to be a 65k car when it’s all said and done. Meh…I give this van a 5.5/10.
What gets me about some car releases is that clearly umpteen TH-cam channels were all invited to some venue to shoot virtually identical videos about a vehicle that they're not allowed to drive or able to draw any conclusions from. And then all those videos drop on the same day.
I wish they would have gone more retro with the exterior (I.e. round headlights and vertical taillights like the original). I also think the range should be 350-400 miles. This vehicle screams to be a highway travel with vacations to explore, but with that range will be nothing more than a city dweller.
@@cartopia6161 actually I hate to wait. Charging speed is more important to me than range once you are > 200 miles. Unless you are driving 300 miles every day I think it will be plenty fun on vacations.
An EV with a 350-400 mile range is something that does not seem to be on any car makers mind. Shame. I am looking for an EV but they are all city cars and therefore second (or third) cars for me. Vacation travel is out esp for those of us that live in the American west.
I like the overall design, except the drivetrain. Too bad it's not a hybrid. I guess that they won't need a Westfalia version if the range is only 250 miles. Those fake vents on the D pillars aren't doing it for me. I like the idea of referencing the Type 2, but the 3 faux vents appear non functional. Not very German IMO, lol.
Nice! Overall, I'm looking forward to it! It's one thing to refer to the original iconic busses, and toss around terms like "throwback," but it's another to blend that old charm into the look of a new vehicle. I think they did a good job. Could they have done more to achieve a better balance between a semi-retro vibe and this new design without interfering with the advancements of the new I. D. Buzz? Of course. Hopefully that will work it's way into the line. The 1/4 windows up front make no sense to me, they just look like faux wind wings (functional wings would've been cooler (literally)). I would have preferred to see round headlights in the front and taillights of a more stylistically vintage design in the back. Nevertheless, I'm grateful the design has been finalized and a VW Microbus design will once again be cruising the streets.
I hope they figured out a camp mode. My buddy had an ID4 that he took camping. He said it was really irritating how the A/C (or heat) would shut off in the middle of the night, and he then had to fuss around with it to "trick it" into coming back on. He traded it for a Tesla 3 after just a couple of months, and never looked back. It also amazes me that with range being a major concern for EVERY potential EV customer, manufacturers fill these things with all sorts of electrical power draining "features."
What I'd like to see is how much the efficiency improves with the APP550 motor. Plus I hope it will run on LFP batteries, moving all that weight must really put a strain on the battery pack.
nice the center console features a special mode where when the buzz is sold 20 years from purchase date, the center console won't be able to be located to include with the sale! brilliant!
6:40. Leatherette is made from petroleum by-products. i.e. not a sustainable material. Leather comes from cows, which are raised for food and other reasons. i.e., sustainable. That not withstanding, Tommy is awesome, TFL is awesome, this van is awesome.
Oil is not pumped out of the ground purely to make leatherette, as you stated it's made from petroleum by-products. The ID Buzz uses a ton of oil based materials in its construction besides leatherette. Honestly the whole vehicle is one of decadence and unnecessary use of materials. If VW wanted they could have made it with a cargo floor and easily removable rear seats for practical use as both a people mover and a stuff mover, they could have used manual sliding rear windows instead of electric only ones. I think this vehicle is the Anti Type 2. It's big, heavy, expensive, complex (for a BEV), liquid cooled, no off-road-ability, with a massive front end and huge blindspot creating A pillars. If VW just sold it in single tone paintjobs and didn't try to sell it as a new Microbus I'd have no problem with it as I'd treat it like the VW Eurovan. Instead they play it off as if it is the second coming of Christ. This is an Antichrist.
I think the long wheelbase really ruins its appearance compared to the beautiful short wheelbase. It's a huge shame that the nice one isn't coming to North America. It's not like there's a shortage of huge vehicles in VW's lineup :/
The USA version is the same as the European version. We get the long wheelbase too and more. So this and every American channel I've seen are completely wrong.
Your father is really good at these car content videos, but you’ve stepped in and done an AMAZING job. I know he’s proud! I’m sure this will attract quite a following up the pacific from California to Oregon to Washington. Especially retired boomer parents who live near their grandkids. And young families too!
It's cool, but if this is an American family hauler, no cup holders in the back seat except the trays is a huge miss. Kids have lots of drinks and having to have a table folded out as the only option kinda sucks.
No cup holders in the middle row is a big fail (no I don't consider those crappy trays to be cup holders). Range won't be great, I've watched videos of the European spec and it doesn't do well in miles/kwh. Going to have to wait for Stelantis, Honda, Toyota, or Kia for a real EV minivan.
Probably the worst review ever of a vehicle. Besides dedicating 50% of our time to explaining what we all can see for ourselves, you pointed out zero criticisms which tells me you're just a rep. for the product manufacturer. That is confirmed when we see all the VW team around you to help you with this video!
They can’t in the US after dieselgate. I heard somewhere that the VW group made an agreement with the US government that they can’t sell their diesels in the US anymore or something. I hope I’m wrong, but that’s what I’ve heard.
As long as this proves to be reliable with decent performance, this one should do well. My only regret is that they're not following Ford's lead and going with the Tesla NACS. It's so more elegant and the charging network is so far superior to any other in North America. I owned two VW buses in my youth. A '69 and '71. I swore "never again". but as I wait for Tesla to make a van to replace my 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan, I'm going to keep an eye on this one. Who knows? I may wind up with one in my garage next year?
Wow, back in the 1960s we had the VW vans. They could go from 0 to 60 mph in 2 weeks, 3 days, and 4 hours! They were pathetic then. Now, we have the new model coming out. Good luck on this one!
Looks like a fairly well thought out design. As has been said, I hope the pricing truly retains the ‘people’s car’ attainability that the original vans had. As a grumpy old dude who has owned multiple older busses of both split and bay window iterations, as well as being a design snob, I wish they had spent more thought on making the exterior even more retro. Just using round or oval shapes for the main headlights would have gone a long way… but I understand the need to fit within their current design language as well. Hope to see some of these on the road soon and get to have a look in person!
Though I maintain that you simply can't improve upon the styling of the original, I have to say that this overall vehicle is actually very well done. I'm impressed.
really like the ID Buzz. Just surprised that the second row seats do not come our or have a center fold down cup holder arm rest. Will they have the two tone seat?
I LOVE vans. I love the old VW busses, I love the Chevy Astro, I love those imported kei vans from japan. Small-Midsized vans are something incredibly special. And I really hope this paves the way for more small to midsized vans here in the US. However, I think thats going to be some time off as the I have no doubt that the price tag on this bus is going to keep it out of reach of those who would benefit from it most. But hopefully we can eventually see affordable vans return. As far as this van, I love the idea of an electric van. But it's just not practical yet for most Americans, including myself.
Kind of a letdown, to be honest. All these companies making EV’s etc…but nobody is making one actually affordable to the majority. Also, after experiencing Tesla’s purchase method…I won’t ever play into the stealership game ever again. A few clicks of the mouse, wait a couple weeks, and then hand delivered to my driveway…orrrrr sit for hours while sleazy salespeople and their GM waste your time trying to nickel and dime you with grossly overpriced stickers on the vehicle. Thanks but no thanks. I’ll keep looking at Tesla, rivian, etc until others decide to kick the outdated stealership model
Is there a gasoline engine option, or is this bus the new epitome of intolerance? I love air-cooled engines. They didn't usually set your garage and house on fire.
Wish they were also offering the euro short wheelbase version here. Here's hoping they bring a camper back to the US. They missed out on a huge opportunity during the van/overlander boom.
I've had my doubts about VWs but this video portrays a contender for my next vehicle. But endurance and price will be determining factors in my decision. The center console display is waaaay too large for my tastes, but I am old school.
I don’t think it’ll be a “people’s wagon” when price becomes known.
Going to be 60k at least
@@XxXenosxX I would guess near $80k for the AWD version.
No - its a lifestyle luxury Buzz not a Peoples wagon
@@XxXenosxX in America everything is cheaper - they have Buzz with luxury up to the very long version shown here but 60k for this one + might be correct
Lol! Great comment, cause it’s true! It’s the “ NOT for most people wagon .”
It’s amazing that it comes with so many standard features but I hope they also make a cheap stripped down version for people like me. I just want a barebones EV I can lay down and sleep in for camping and road trips. I don’t need heated and cooled massaging seats. They’d be nice but I’d rather pay a few thousand less and go without stuff like that. Honestly I’d rather pay $10-20,000 less and get this in a work/cargo van configuration. No rear seats at all. I don’t have kids. I’ll never use them. They’d just be in my way and take up space. Hopefully they’ll come out with a camper version but I could add the things I’ll need for way less than I’m sure they’ll charge to add them for me. Volkswagen, if you’re listening just make me an empty electric van with two front seats and nothing else! Please?
I agree 100%
11:56
So many people would love a "work van" type vehicle! puckup trucks and SUVs are just too much
Yeah I hate how I have to pay for all these features I couldn’t care less for. I live in Seattle and it’s never really cold enough to warrant seat warmers for one thing lol
There's a work van version in Europe so it could be a possibiity
Confession, I've watched most of the American reviews of this exact vehicle, and this is the only channel that showed the capability to remove the 3rd row, add to it that they had VW demonstrate how it can be done and you've got an exclusive. Thank you!
Very well done interior design features. If they can sell it at a reasonable price it should be a niche winner.
Should be interesting to see how much range it gets and how much it costs when it arrives here in 2024. 🤔
I'm gonna guess barely 250 epa miles of range and starts at nearly 70k.
I guess WLTP 300 miles and it will start 60k USD - if it comes only totally loaded like this one, must be 70k. They are always competitive with their pricing and in America its always way cheaper then in Europe
I would agree with upper 50s to lower 60s. It can't be that much more than the 3-4 grand more than the Atlas. As for range, well under 300mi. Which is a big disappointment. A vehicle of this size begs for the cross country and sadly, I doubt it will provide.
@@bavariancarenthusiast2722 I agree, to upper 5
They are already driving in Europe for a few months now so it's not that hard to know price or range :)
@@wyrazowfkp price in the EU isn't in U.S. dollars, and inc vat both not applicable to me. It's also for a shorter wheelbase, shorter range 5 seat version with a 11% smaller battery pack&less powerful motor. I wouldn't mind any and all guesses on price for the U.S. market though? 👍🏻
Love that the third row is so easily removable and how many configurations it can take. What a great vehicle!
For those who want more versatility the Multivan or California is a bit bigger inside-out and might even have optional tent on roof..
Easily removable? It took three Volkswagen employees several trips to empty out the third row and the trays and dividers…yeah, not really a one man job…
it'd be neat if they made legs for the removable seats so you can use them at a camp site. Imagine pulling your car seat out to sit in at a local park haha
Tommy's presentation skills have come such a long way. He's one of my favorite auto journalists these days. So natural and honest.
Don’t need all the animation just the facts and the price .
More than Doug Demuro
He’s just like his pops
He really has! I haven't been watching much TFL content lately, but it appears he's really coming into his own.
Thanks for showing the 3rd row removal and reinstallation. Looking forward to getting one when they finally have it available. I wished they had a way to reserve through VW instead of having to beg the dealerships.
I reserved my ID 4 directly through VW and chose a dealership for delivery; I don’t see why this would be any different.
@@kennethsmedley1976 VW chose not to do that due to the complaints people had when the ID4 showed up as available in dealer inventories, yet folks with reservations weren't getting their deliveries that they had reserved prior. I would love it if VW could do reservations online, but from all the press releases and video I've seen, it ain't happening for the ID Buzz, so dealer waitlists and markups will be a thing for sure.
@@chingwodapigu yep! I had an ID4 reservation almost as soon as it was announced. When they began to trickle out, I canceled due to poor reviews and stealer markup.
@@kennethsmedley1976
A camper version would be nice. It would also be nice to know if ac and heat can be used when engine is off and then recharge periodically as a hybrid does
AC and heat can indeed be used when the "engine" is off. This is a feature that carries over from the ID3/4/etc
I think it would be an europe exklusiv
All you have to do is take out the rear seats, somehow cover the latches of the seats and then but curtains, carpet, big pillows, a bong, a baggie full of weed, a box full of syringes, and you should be good to go 😀
@@dwightk.schruteiii8454 a cargo van is also available
Engine has to be on to operate the dc/dc charger to allow 12 volt functions to work.
Hadn’t seen those tables before in several videos - good job.
They also announced there will eventually be a full minimalist camper version! Sounds like the Westfalia with pop top “bedroom” and facing seats with small table in the rear “living room” hopefully!
So glad VW is bringing us the LWB 3 row for the US! 👌🏽
Won’t be cheap but will last forever - just like the old ones!!
What a crazy statement to say it will be as reliable as the original
It'll be cool to see a camper bus version of this. The Buzz looks very nice.
That was the whole point of this vehicle imo
@@beans2605 not really, VW used to have a "campers model". Doesn't matter though because it being electric and today's market it's not going to be a people's bus, it'll be the rich wagon.
@@violentdawg Yes, camper van and gasoline. Can't imagine making a roadtrip with that thing and planning my route around charging stations.
@@musicalintuition its not hard. Route planning software makes things easy.
@@somberrhombus There's enough already to worry about on a trip, I wouldn't want to add hunting charging stations to the mix. To each his own I suppose.
I would love this in AWD, but it needs to have an option of a larger battery pack to go along with that. Ideally would want 350-450 mile range on a full charge and only on the low side of that if they equip it with DC Fast charging similar to what the speed Kia has equipped the EV9 with.
Gonna be about 250 miles range
Y’all really want everything and the kitchen sink and you want it for 2.99 a month
A bigger battery would cost a lot more. It's not aerodynamic by design, which really cuts into the range. The 21 inch wheels cut into the range as well. With fast charging, the range is fine, but the charging infrastructure is still very hit and miss in the US.
Not gonna happen.
@@lanceareadbhar yeah. Everyone just needs to jump on the Tesla network. Which would then need to double it’s capacity
Awesome look! If they can get the price right, I think it could be a huge hit for them
Black is a color too, not as the host mentioned. It was in Doug DeMuro.
I would be interested in it if available in a Cargo Version… with Ford, Nissan, Ram all killing off the small service vans those of us that buy those little vans for service work are running out of options.
Especially since this one has a single floor level, unlike the original Type 2 where the area over the engine was raised.
Yeah, the sad thing is there is a Cargo, it's just Europe markets exclusive. Apparently there are problems with commercial style vehicle imports. Think it has something to do with local vehicle manufacturers pushing for taxes to make it unpalatable for EU and Asian manufacturers to bother.
The Cargo is a bit pared down in the personal luxury features, but the cargo area is nice and open. It would probably be good as camper conversion, especially since (unless they've changed things), the centre row remains non-removable (I mean, you CAN remove it, it's not like it's indestructible, but it's not designed to be removed).
Unfortunately, that will never happen thanks to the chicken tax.
What Is the Chicken Tax? The Chicken Tax is a 25% tariff on light trucks imported to the U.S. The United States imposed the tariff in 1964 through an executive order issued by President Lyndon Johnson, in retaliation against European tariffs on American chicken imports.
That's why they are very careful not to call it a van...
I've been following TFL for around a half decade or so, you guys got me through some rough times. I've always though of you as the wunderkind, the child genius. Now I think of you as just plain genius. You don't need to be any kind of an edge-lord to create captivating content with a signature style and deep-dive know-how. TFL is the Chef John of automotive journalism, and I'm here for it.
If the starting price can come close to the base Honda Odyssey (~$38k USD), then I think VW will have a real winner.
Zero chance of that price.
starting is 54K
58K
I wish they make one with a regular engine, 500 miles range and fill up gas in 5 minutes 😊
I agree
Blame epa
not everyone has to drive far to go to work.
@@j.j.1753 Yeah but most people want their van to last more than 5-10 years, EVs do not without replacing the expensive batteries (which would likely not be made anymore by the time they go)... aircooled VW buses from the 60s are still on the road today...
(Also a van is not usually a commuter, in fact it's used for long travels often)
Hmm, it would be great if the middle row folded down. My old mini van is great for stuff because the back row folds and then the middle seats come out and you get a huge amount of space for construction stuff. But it still looks good!
Middle row does fold down.
It does. Pay attention to the video.
VW has a winner on their hands. Looks amazing.
awesome can't wait to see more about this. I honestly think EV Vans or micro busses provide the best over all utility for most families' over SUV's and Trucks. Just wish they would put over 100 kWh battery and similar power features of the lightning.
"**Still waiting for a Camper Van instead of a Mini-Van**
Yes, hopefully they’ll make a high roof version at some point
VW: bring the California camper van to the US!!!
-Just make this thing gas.
-Keep it around $35k
-Make a camper van version.
-If you do battery at least 350 miles range
Hybrid would be cool!
Gas is thankfully dying out, even if it's dying slowly. I hope to god my grandkids aren't driving around in a machine that farts petroleum.
@@SmithMrCorona I would love to have an electric vehicle. Unfortunately for myself and many other Americans, it's just not practical. I cannot afford a house let alone installation of a charging station. So my option for charging an electric vehicle is to drive all the way across town (20min drive) and park at a Target and wait. I don't shop at target, I can't afford to just spend money on random things so the idea of shopping while I wait doesn't work for me (or many others). Not to mention, that if I leave town, it't 54 miles to the next charging station. It's just not realistic. I wish it was but for myself and millions of other Americans, Its just not a reality right now. Hopefully one day though.
But, as someone who would love to have a bus like this for the sake of taking it camping and on road trips, gas is a must have. It just is.
@@SmithMrCoronaStrange when electric vehicles actually pollute more. 🤦🏻
You might want to do winter testing in Colorado for this, have they upgraded HVAC from the regular model... Because it _lacks_ a lot of heating power.
The ID4 doesn’t have a heat pump so not likely here either. Winter mileage and charge times will be atrocious.
Will the two rear row of seats fold flat to allow you to transport any cargo?
I’ve been working for this for more than twenty years.
Uhh
Tommy, I’m glad you’re taking over TFL EV. You give the tech and cars the proper attention. Great job!
It looks really good. Just worry about the pricing strategy and also driving dynamic for LWB is a question mark.
What? No boring colors? How do they expect to sell any in America, the land of the gray truck/SUV? Good job VW.
Hey, cool, a microbus for the 1%...the only ones who'll be able to actually afford it!! It's actually cheaper to find a classic VW bus in decent condition and do an electric conversion on it.
Seriously, the new one looks great and I'd be really interested in maybe getting it, but I'm not mortgaging my house to do it.
I want to se a camper version, or even a Westfalia. My only gripe is that huge sunroof. Not a plus in Texas.
It is gonna be a weird swap for me when I sell my Plaid X for a Buzz 😂
Really like this design. Lets hope this works out for Volkswagen!
I know a few people who are in wheelchairs and I have yet to see an accessible EV for them. Perhaps this could be it? I know the e Transit has an option but not everyone likes those bus style hydraulic lifts, and having it rear mounted (versus side entry) can be more dangerous in certain situations. I’m thinking with the flexibility of an EV platform, it may be possible to make something from this?
Alright. I’ve watched the entire video. I know this is a year old. But I do have some concerns. First off the range. Abysmal for a box. I can’t imagine the battery degradation as well. For the size of the vehicle, you would think that it would have a much much bigger battery pack. Second, do not make massaging seats standard, that should definitely be an option. Third I would not opt for the storage pouch on the back of the seats and the plastic tray on the back of the seats as well because any of us with kids knows exactly what’s going to happen to those two things almost immediately. Fourth…VW isn’t known for reliability and build quality. These car makers are doing too much. Probably going to be a 65k car when it’s all said and done. Meh…I give this van a 5.5/10.
Too bad it is electric. Not practical to go camping where there are no or few charges.
What gets me about some car releases is that clearly umpteen TH-cam channels were all invited to some venue to shoot virtually identical videos about a vehicle that they're not allowed to drive or able to draw any conclusions from. And then all those videos drop on the same day.
I wish they would have gone more retro with the exterior (I.e. round headlights and vertical taillights like the original). I also think the range should be 350-400 miles. This vehicle screams to be a highway travel with vacations to explore, but with that range will be nothing more than a city dweller.
No need to dump it if is empty outside the city. It is rechargeable.
Ah, Ralf you are one of those people with ample time on your hands and love to wait. I think you are full of it.
@@cartopia6161 actually I hate to wait. Charging speed is more important to me than range once you are > 200 miles. Unless you are driving 300 miles every day I think it will be plenty fun on vacations.
An EV with a 350-400 mile range is something that does not seem to be on any car makers mind. Shame. I am looking for an EV but they are all city cars and therefore second (or third) cars for me. Vacation travel is out esp for those of us that live in the American west.
@@derekkuhl that's always been the priority though. Make the dailies an EV so the heavily populated areas aren't choking in smog
Turn the centre console around and there’s a larger sliding drawer for the 2nd row passengers. Drove a Euro one with the family last week
I like the overall design, except the drivetrain. Too bad it's not a hybrid. I guess that they won't need a Westfalia version if the range is only 250 miles. Those fake vents on the D pillars aren't doing it for me. I like the idea of referencing the Type 2, but the 3 faux vents appear non functional. Not very German IMO, lol.
Yes, they could make them funtional.
Nice! Overall, I'm looking forward to it! It's one thing to refer to the original iconic busses, and toss around terms like "throwback," but it's another to blend that old charm into the look of a new vehicle. I think they did a good job. Could they have done more to achieve a better balance between a semi-retro vibe and this new design without interfering with the advancements of the new I. D. Buzz? Of course. Hopefully that will work it's way into the line.
The 1/4 windows up front make no sense to me, they just look like faux wind wings (functional wings would've been cooler (literally)). I would have preferred to see round headlights in the front and taillights of a more stylistically vintage design in the back. Nevertheless, I'm grateful the design has been finalized and a VW Microbus design will once again be cruising the streets.
Cool. Price?
just asking but those backseat trays seemed pretty weak?
Thanks for showing the storage capacity of the "bus". I'm up for a D2D run in it if we fold all the seats down and put an air mattress in the back!
Great review, Tommy. Looks to have plenty of room for us taller/bigger folks.
Am I right or have they forgot to implement a complete railsystem for backseats?;
TFL needs one of these
I hope they figured out a camp mode. My buddy had an ID4 that he took camping. He said it was really irritating how the A/C (or heat) would shut off in the middle of the night, and he then had to fuss around with it to "trick it" into coming back on. He traded it for a Tesla 3 after just a couple of months, and never looked back.
It also amazes me that with range being a major concern for EVERY potential EV customer, manufacturers fill these things with all sorts of electrical power draining "features."
Absolutely love it! Awesome review 🔥🇺🇸🔥
Somehow I feel the seats will be offered in a darker color. Those light colored seats will get soiled fast even though they look nice.
I only buy cars with light seats and I've never had a problem. A damp shop towel takes care of most, diluted simple green cleans the rest.
What I'd like to see is how much the efficiency improves with the APP550 motor. Plus I hope it will run on LFP batteries, moving all that weight must really put a strain on the battery pack.
The battery pack shouldn't be a challenge. 286hp at 92kwh is actually less than half as much power draw as most other EVs
nice the center console features a special mode where when the buzz is sold 20 years from purchase date, the center console won't be able to be located to include with the sale! brilliant!
Looks great! Hope the specs and pricing will be reasonable.
Probably be 70k and up like every other unaffordable car 😅
NO and NO.
Now all they need to do is sell it for 30,000. They owe the public for all the diesel lies and the failure to give us electric vehicles.
Looks fun and cool, hopefully the price won’t ruin it.
6:40. Leatherette is made from petroleum by-products. i.e. not a sustainable material. Leather comes from cows, which are raised for food and other reasons. i.e., sustainable. That not withstanding, Tommy is awesome, TFL is awesome, this van is awesome.
Oil is not pumped out of the ground purely to make leatherette, as you stated it's made from petroleum by-products. The ID Buzz uses a ton of oil based materials in its construction besides leatherette.
Honestly the whole vehicle is one of decadence and unnecessary use of materials. If VW wanted they could have made it with a cargo floor and easily removable rear seats for practical use as both a people mover and a stuff mover, they could have used manual sliding rear windows instead of electric only ones.
I think this vehicle is the Anti Type 2. It's big, heavy, expensive, complex (for a BEV), liquid cooled, no off-road-ability, with a massive front end and huge blindspot creating A pillars. If VW just sold it in single tone paintjobs and didn't try to sell it as a new Microbus I'd have no problem with it as I'd treat it like the VW Eurovan. Instead they play it off as if it is the second coming of Christ. This is an Antichrist.
Love the looks of this one 💙💙💙
VWeautiful Fun Colors Hooray! Interior is so bright. Phone holder is genius. SO much space when you remove the backseats.
Leatherette seats are not sustainable. They are just vinyl or another synthetic made from oil
Leatherette can be made from vegetable oil.
Third row has ton of leg room. I wish they would have pushed the 3rd row a little more forward and give cargo space more room.
Looks like the 3rd row can move forward on a 60/40 slider to get more cargo room.
Hybrid...please!!
Incredibly comprehensive and professional review on an exciting new offering. Well done!
I was hoping for more range. Close to or over 300 miles is a must if I am going to use it to surf and camp.
2:08 this Pic has a light bar going all the way down the side that looks really cool. I don't see that in the current one.
I think the long wheelbase really ruins its appearance compared to the beautiful short wheelbase. It's a huge shame that the nice one isn't coming to North America. It's not like there's a shortage of huge vehicles in VW's lineup :/
The USA version is the same as the European version. We get the long wheelbase too and more. So this and every American channel I've seen are completely wrong.
Your father is really good at these car content videos, but you’ve stepped in and done an AMAZING job. I know he’s proud! I’m sure this will attract quite a following up the pacific from California to Oregon to Washington. Especially retired boomer parents who live near their grandkids. And young families too!
Wish it had a gas engine.
It's cool, but if this is an American family hauler, no cup holders in the back seat except the trays is a huge miss. Kids have lots of drinks and having to have a table folded out as the only option kinda sucks.
No cup holders in the middle row is a big fail (no I don't consider those crappy trays to be cup holders). Range won't be great, I've watched videos of the European spec and it doesn't do well in miles/kwh. Going to have to wait for Stelantis, Honda, Toyota, or Kia for a real EV minivan.
FINALLY I have been waiting for this EV Great Video @Tommy
Also the Tech is very reminisant / Similar to the new Porsche.
Probably the worst review ever of a vehicle. Besides dedicating 50% of our time to explaining what we all can see for ourselves, you pointed out zero criticisms which tells me you're just a rep. for the product manufacturer. That is confirmed when we see all the VW team around you to help you with this video!
GREAT JOB AND REVIEW TOMMY. This is the best video I’ve seen on this
IF ITS ELECTRIC .. IT SUX, CRAPPY MILES/CHARGE COST .. BATTERIES HAVE TO BE REPLACED WHEN SELLING .. THEN FIRES!
LOL. Back to your mom’s basement.
That sunroof sure gonna be in the way of my pop top.
Haha. No thanks
why not the round lights on the front that really would have gave that retro look
Agree 100%
Bring back VW diesels!
They can’t in the US after dieselgate. I heard somewhere that the VW group made an agreement with the US government that they can’t sell their diesels in the US anymore or something. I hope I’m wrong, but that’s what I’ve heard.
@@faheemabbas3965 I know. But bring ‘em back anyway.
They can, but they will not.
It's dead. Thank God, they need to fix EA. That's why we have EA because of diesel gate.
Well, the new Volkswagen Amarok has the diesel options, but they are shared with the new Ford Ranger.
As long as this proves to be reliable with decent performance, this one should do well. My only regret is that they're not following Ford's lead and going with the Tesla NACS. It's so more elegant and the charging network is so far superior to any other in North America. I owned two VW buses in my youth. A '69 and '71. I swore "never again". but as I wait for Tesla to make a van to replace my 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan, I'm going to keep an eye on this one. Who knows? I may wind up with one in my garage next year?
Wow, back in the 1960s we had the VW vans. They could go from 0 to 60 mph in 2 weeks, 3 days, and 4 hours! They were pathetic then. Now, we have the new model coming out. Good luck on this one!
Looks like a fairly well thought out design. As has been said, I hope the pricing truly retains the ‘people’s car’ attainability that the original vans had. As a grumpy old dude who has owned multiple older busses of both split and bay window iterations, as well as being a design snob, I wish they had spent more thought on making the exterior even more retro. Just using round or oval shapes for the main headlights would have gone a long way… but I understand the need to fit within their current design language as well. Hope to see some of these on the road soon and get to have a look in person!
I just realized that this is basically the reincarnation of the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari.
I'd love to see an even bigger version of this to compete with Ford's passenger van offerings like the Transit 250 and 350
Please make an option where you can get this bus gas not electric.
Also keep the price around $35k
Though I maintain that you simply can't improve upon the styling of the original, I have to say that this overall vehicle is actually very well done. I'm impressed.
glad this concept is finally going on sell. cant wait to see all the body kits to make this look like the OG
Been waiting 10 years for this.
Lived in Germany when it came out, but wanted one for the US.
really like the ID Buzz. Just surprised that the second row seats do not come our or have a center fold down cup holder arm rest. Will they have the two tone seat?
Im honestly really excited for this. Hope it gets decent mileage on the charge and its not TOO crazy priced
Hi, can you fit a 4x8 plywood with all seat flat?
Now, do the right thing and make a gas version with a Westphalia camper option!!
I LOVE vans. I love the old VW busses, I love the Chevy Astro, I love those imported kei vans from japan. Small-Midsized vans are something incredibly special. And I really hope this paves the way for more small to midsized vans here in the US. However, I think thats going to be some time off as the I have no doubt that the price tag on this bus is going to keep it out of reach of those who would benefit from it most. But hopefully we can eventually see affordable vans return. As far as this van, I love the idea of an electric van. But it's just not practical yet for most Americans, including myself.
Kind of a letdown, to be honest. All these companies making EV’s etc…but nobody is making one actually affordable to the majority. Also, after experiencing Tesla’s purchase method…I won’t ever play into the stealership game ever again. A few clicks of the mouse, wait a couple weeks, and then hand delivered to my driveway…orrrrr sit for hours while sleazy salespeople and their GM waste your time trying to nickel and dime you with grossly overpriced stickers on the vehicle.
Thanks but no thanks. I’ll keep looking at Tesla, rivian, etc until others decide to kick the outdated stealership model
Wish the US had the smaller version. Not everyone has a huge family
Hope VW gets on board with NACS charging for reliable road trips.
WOW, got to have one NOW!!! Thanks Tommy
Next Fall
Looks nice, happy that the rear seats are removable. but that battery pack is anemic. Very disappointed for what is the “iconic road-trip vehicle”
Is there a gasoline engine option, or is this bus the new epitome of intolerance? I love air-cooled engines. They didn't usually set your garage and house on fire.
Looks great, but that charge port door looked big. I guess they aren't going with the NACS charger?
Wish they were also offering the euro short wheelbase version here. Here's hoping they bring a camper back to the US. They missed out on a huge opportunity during the van/overlander boom.
Love the Bus, loved the old ones too. I do think the Canoo will give it a run for it's money.
I've had my doubts about VWs but this video portrays a contender for my next vehicle. But endurance and price will be determining factors in my decision. The center console display is waaaay too large for my tastes, but I am old school.
You guys think there's any chance the second generation of this vehicle will actually look like a reproduction of the original from the 60s? Thanks!