Factory has sorted NZ market build schedule for ID Buzz.

PRODUCTION of New Zealand-bound examples of the battery-dedicated ID Buzz – a modern electric revival of the iconic 'Type 2' Kombi van – will start by year-end, the national distributor has announced.

In notifying that Germany has freed up space on the assembly line for the Kiwi-bound range and that the vehicle will be on sale here at an undetermined time in 2023, in passenger and work-outfitted (Cargo) versions, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ New Zealand boss has also suggested pricing for other markets will not necessarily be an accurate barometer to what happens here.

Kevin Richards’ comment today came in wake of significant speculation about what sort of stickers will attach to the Buzz.

As an example how wrong that could be, he offered the sticker attached to the base model of VW’s other electrified people mover, the seven-chair Multivan Plug-in Hybrid, in its volume Family specification.

The first of Volkswagen Commercial’s electrified models – revealed to NZ media today – runs a 1.4-litre petrol with an electric powertrain delivering up to 50 kilometres’ pure electric operation.

The Family that sells for $78,800 here is largely equivalent to a model that is a $105,000 proposition in the United Kingdom.

Using German market pricing as a guide, a high-profile media outlet in Australia has speculated Buzz, the largest model yet atop the MEB-platform that underpins almost all VW Group electrics, could start at more than $100,000 in its entry five-seater Pro edition.

That’s around the point where the Multivan tops out, with a $106,000 Energetic that adds in numerous plush touches that cost extra on the standard model. Just 30 of those are here, within the allocation of 100 examples that Germany can provision this year.

 The outlet said if its Buzz price estimates prove accurate, the cheapest would cost more than the least expensive Porsche sports car available to the market it writes for, the 718 Cayman coupe.

The road-ready formats of ID Buzz were revealed in March however it has yet to reach any market. VW is still ramping up its production from a plant in Hanover, Germany, that in addition to building the ID Buzz in all its variants is also assembling another ID passenger model.

Coincidentally, the parent today also released information revealing the testing regime the model continues to undergo in Europe. 

Discussion about Buzz’s possible cost stems from pricing for Germany and the rest of Europe being released as part of a pre-sales campaign that kicked off a week ago, along with an advertising campaign, tied to a Star Wars-spun Obi-Wan Kenobi movies series that is about to start streaming on the Disney Plus channel.

Shown to media during today’s event offering a first drive of the Multivan PHEV, the ad involves R2-D2, C-3PO and Ewan McGregor and premises on the Buzz, which the actor ultimate drives off-set, beguiling the robots.

Speaking about the pitch and the probability that Buzz will kick off a fresh round of discussion, Richards said taking one market’s pricing to gain a heads up on where a vehicle might site in another was not an accurate barometer. He also added that his division was committed to making Buzz a success.

“The price of the car you’ve driven today, in the guise of the Family model, prices at sub-$80,000 here and is $105,000 when compared to its spec-for-spec equivalent in the UK.

“My team has done a fantastic job (with Multivan) of making sure we have the right car for the right price for the NZ market and I’m sure they will put as much work, skills, knowledge and experience in making sure we have the same for ID Buzz.”

In respect to Buzz’s production, he said: “We have had confirmation from the factory that we have got technical release of production of ID Buzz and ID Buzz Cargo from the end of this year, for arrival some point in 2023.

“So we will see both of the ID Buzz models here at some point next year. Price, specification, volume all very much up in the air.”

Is it possible VW New Zealand, which has responsibility for selling Volkswagen passenger cars, will have the ID.4, ID.3 and perhaps even the ID.5 here around the same time?

The Buzz is the largest of all, at 4.7 metres’ long, 1.9m tall, and almost 2m wide (excluding the big door mirrors) and it has a 2.9m wheelbase. It runs a 77kWh lithium-ion battery feeding a 150kW/310Nm electric drive motor driving the rear wheels.

 WLTP consumption of 20.6 kWh/100km (Cargo: 20.4kWh/100 km) is cited, along with a range of between 421-424km. DC quick charge replenishment will bring the battery from five to 80 percent of its capacity in around 30 minutes with a maximum charging power of up to 170kW.

As it equips for Europe, ID Buzz Pro has Car2X, which can warn drivers about local hazards such as the start of a traffic jam after a bend, swerve support oncoming vehicle braking when turning, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, a proactive occupant protection system that will close the windows before a potential accident, lane assist, road sign display, and front and rear park distance control.

 The Multivan PHEV, meantime, bases off the latest generation of Transporter van, which now uses the same car platform employed on a variety of VW Group products, including the Skoda Superb now driven by police.

The plug-in hybrid drivetrain is identical to that found in the Skoda Superb iV and consumption and emissions counts are similar, with 1.7L/100km and 37 grams per kilometre. It has a Type 2 plug and charging at home is around six hours depending on current draw. 

The Family model qualifies for the $5750 Clean Car discount. A diesel Multivan will come in 2023, in a Life specification that will also add to the PHEV range, as well as in Family trim.