One of the most eagerly anticipated vehicles to come out this year is VW’s all-electric ID Buzz. The new EV takes VW’s classic bus design and packs it with electric tech. But the cost of all that electrically-charged loveliness might upset any aspiring hippies hoping to recreate the Summer of Love.
According to several German news outlets, VW is hoping to price its ID Buzz at “below €60,000” when it goes on sale later this year. After a quick check of the current exchange rate, that puts it at around $95,377 here in Australia.
And that, no matter how cool the thing looks, is a lot for a van.
The price hasn’t been confirmed by VW, which likely won’t unveil pricing until the order books open later this year. But, it was first reported by German publication Automobilwoche and later backed up by another German auto site, called Auto, Motor und Sport, which suggested the figure would be closer to €55,000 ($87,430).
VW will market two versions of the electric bus, the ID Buzz People and the ID Buzz Cargo.
According to Auto, Motor und Sport, the price of the ID Buzz People will be “roughly based on the price of the ID.4, adjusted for equipment”. After deducting electric vehicle subsidies in Germany, the site suggested the price would be more like €45,000 ($71,532) for a version of the bus with a 77 kWh battery and a rear-mounted, 150 kW electric motor.
It added that:
“If you are in a hurry and want to be one of the first Buzz owners, VW offers a specially equipped ‘First Edition.’ This will probably cost well over €70,000.”
For context, the current flagship VW van, the T7 Multivan, starts at €44,000 ($69,943) for its passenger-carrying layout. If you opt for the cargo van, it’s just €35,000 ($55,636) for the VW Transporter.
So while it sounds like a lot for VW’s lovely new hippie mobile, it’s a depressing fact that the German company’s vans are already at the expensive end of the spectrum.
In response to the rumoured pricing, a spokesperson for VW said: “We don’t comment on media speculation. I think you will see more details at the reveal on March 9th.”
They added that any speculative European pricing would include also VAT, a tax added to many products across the bloc. For comparison, the prices of the T7 Multivan and Transporter listed above also included VAT.
If the ID Buzz can be priced competitively to VW’s gas-powered vans, that’s great. But would that lofty entry point turn some prospective buyers towards Ford’s upcoming E-Transit?
We shouldn’t have long to wait to find out final pricing, as VW has promised more details about the all-electric ID Buzz’s launch next month.