Volkswagen ID. Buzz: the fuel of the future

The cost per 100 kilometers is 16 euros in summer and climbs to more than 21 euros in winter. Of course, this is a record for the exercise, but it is not much higher than some “bad students” that we have already faced in the same exercise. The Peugeot E-208 for example is not that 8 % cheaper on the winter journey, while we are in the presence of a city car against an electric van.

Volkswagen ID. Buzz: charging cost and autonomy on a long journey of 850 km

Volkswagen’s latest electric van, ID. Buzz, comes to rub in our exercise big journeys. Between costs, recharge time and journey time, how the German electric combi is doing ?

First real 100 % electric van, Volkswagen ID. Buzz has a lot to offer, both on a daily basis thanks to his space on board and in major journeys where he can easily move large families. We will therefore confront the promises of the electric combi with our reference journeys.

We take up the usual rules of this exercise, namely: Departure will be 100 % battery, arrival at 20 % and the vehicle will have to drive at borderline speeds. We will first come back to the characteristics of the vehicle, in particular with regard to autonomy and load power, before simulating our two large usual journeys.

In this way, using the summary tables available lower in this article, you will see which vehicles allow you to arrive safely not only as quickly as possible, but also at a lower cost. Let’s examine together how the big trips in Volkswagen ID take place. Buzz.

The characteristics of the Volkswagen ID. Buzz

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz has a 77 kWh battery, which gives it a 419 -kilometer WLTP autonomy. Of course, the exercise of the day prevents him from reaching such a scope, especially with the ID. Buzz.

Indeed, at high speed – which is the case in our exercises of the day – aerodynamics counts a lot. Problem: the shape of the German electric van clearly does not play in its favor in this area in particular.

It will be necessary to rely on its rapid charging power (170 kW maximum) during the various routes, where the manufacturer announces 30 minutes to go from 5 to 80 % battery in ideal conditions. We will use the different existing networks to arrive safely, including Ionity, or the Tesla superchargers, and the Kallista Energy charging station if necessary.

As usual, at Better Route Planner will be used to plan the journeys, with the default reference consumption for the car model considered today.

Journeys

To respect the same rules for all, We start the 100 % battery journeys, Considering that you have to pay for this filling at the average kWh price in France, located at 0.17 euros today. The 77 kWh of Volkswagen ID. Buzz then represent 13 euros. We will take this cost into account when we have to take stock of each big journey.

The first big journey will simulate Summer holidays from Orleans and bound for Arcachon (530 kilometers). The winter journey will start in Caen and will end in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (850 kilometers).

For the summer journey, the parameters indicated in A Better Route Planner are as follows: 25 degrees Celsius in outdoor temperature, absence of wind, arrival at a charging station with 10 % remaining battery, and arrival at 20 %. For the winter journey, it is substantially identical, apart from the weather, where we chose a temperature of 0 degree Celsius.

The results of the various journeys

45 minutes of load to cover 530 kilometers in summer

Our summer reference journey is rich in rapid charging stations, which therefore poses no concern for Volkswagen ID. Buzz. However, it is necessary to stop several times to reach the destination with 20 % battery.

Three stops are planned by A Better Route Planner, for a total duration of 48 minutes. The first stop is very short (9 minutes), but the second exceeds 20 minutes, when the last is 17 minutes.

The three charges at Ionity return to around 73 euros. By adding the price of the load at home, This 530 kilometers route costs around 86 euros.

The estimated consumption is 292 Wh/km, which gives an autonomy of about 260 kilometers, Far from the 419 kilometers of the WLTP cycle.

A consumption that flies in winter

Winter is much more difficult for electric vehicles, and our journey with an outside temperature of 0 degrees, associated with the positive elevation of the trip, means that consumption is necessarily greater than in summer.

Therefore consumption of Volkswagen ID. Buzz reaches 335 Wh/km on this 850 -kilometer trip, 15 % more than on the summer journey. With such consumption, The autonomy melts 230 kilometers With a full battery.

Five recharges are offered on this journey, totaling just over two hours of recharge. Fortunately, No charge exceeds the big half an hour (32 minutes for the longest), showing that Volkswagen ID trips. Buzz remain doable in good conditions.

Beware, however, of the cost, because with such consumption, the expenses related to the rapid charge reach 169 euros. By adding the price of the charge at home, we arrive at a total of 182 euros for this winter journey.

Consumption, cost of recharge and autonomy

We summarize the costs and the load periods (including the recharging at home at 13 euros) in the table below. You can view as our examples are placed where the vehicle is interested in you in relation to the others on a similar route.

Vehicle	Cost of the summer journey	Summer journey time	Total duration of the summer journey
Tesla Model 3 Propulsion	36 – 49 €	31 min	5 h 09 min
Tesla Model 3 Great Autonomy	31 – 45 €	13 – 25 min	4 h 56 min
Kia Ev6 58 kWh	52 – 60 €	38 – 43 min	5 h 30 min
BMW i4	48 – 58 €	22 – 37 min	5 h 11 min
Hyundai Ioniq 5	72 €	36 min	5 h 16 min
MERCEDES-BENZ EQS	44 €	14 min	4 h 48 min
Tesla Model Y Propulsion	46 €	34 min	5 h 30 min
MG MG4 64 kWh	66 €	49 min	5h 39 min
Renault Mégane E-Tech EV60	67 €	56 min	5h 40 min
Kia Ev6 77 kWh	56 €	26 min	5 h 07 min
Hyundai Kona 64 kWh	61 €	58 min	5 h 47 min
Peugeot E-208	73 €	1 h 13 min	6 h 09 min
Tesla Model S Plaid	46 €	14 min	4 h 52 min
Tesla Model S	34 €	9 min	4 h 47 min
Skoda Enyaq IV 80	51 €	27 min	5 h 01 min
Skoda Enyaq IV Coupé 60	58 €	42 min	5 h 19 min
Volkswagen ID. Buzz	82 €	48 min	5 h 37 min
MG MG5	55 €	1 h 03 min	5 h 40 min
Porsche Taycan	61 €	19 min	4 h 51 min
MERCEDES EQE 300	43 €	23 min	4 h 54 min
Cupra Born Vz XL	48 €	33 min	5 h 05 min
Volkswagen ID.3 pro S	46 €	44 min	5 h 16 min

Vehicle	Cost of the winter journey	Charge time of the winter journey	Total duration of the winter journey
Tesla Model 3 Propulsion	102 €	1 h 42 min	9 h 16 min
Tesla Model 3 Great Autonomy	€ 101.3	1 h 02 min	8 h 27 min
Kia Ev6 58 kWh	120 €	1 h 54 min	9 h 59 min
BMW i4	147 €	1 h 32 min	9 h 08 min
Hyundai Ioniq 5	145 €	1 h 29 min	9 h 14 min
MERCEDES-BENZ EQS	115 €	50 min	8 h 03 min
Tesla Model Y Propulsion	120 €	1 h 46 min	9 h 42 min
MG MG4	109 – 141 €	2 h 23 min	10 h 02 min
Renault Mégane E-Tech EV60	104 – 139 €	2 h 12 min	9 h 49 min
Kia Ev6 77 kWh	143 €	1 h 14 min	8 h 54 min
Hyundai Kona 64 kWh	98 – 132 €	2 h 24 min	10 h 01 min
Peugeot E-208	168 €	2 h 49 min	10 h 59 min
Tesla Model S Plaid	104 €	42 min	8 h 05 min
Tesla Model S	88 €	33 min	7 h 55 min
Skoda Enyaq IV 80	113 €	1 h 18 min	8 h 33 min
Skoda Enyaq IV Coupé 60	118 €	1 h 46 min	9 h 04 min
Volkswagen ID. Buzz	182 €	2 h 04 min	9 h 41 min
MG MG5	122 €	2 h 36 min	10 h 01 min
Porsche Taycan	146 €	58 min	8 h 05 min
MERCEDES EQE 300	112 €	1 h 09 min	8 h 32 min
Cupra Born Vz XL	108 €	1 h 41 min	9 h 06 min
Volkswagen ID.3 pro S	105 €	1 h 35 min	8 h 58 min

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is expensive in high journeys

Spread the word, The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is very expensive in high journeys, especially when we compare it to other vehicles already passed in this exercise. But you have to take into consideration The fairly new segment in which the electric group of the German group is located.

Indeed, its consumption exceeding 300 Wh/km is very high (around 50 % higher than a Tesla Model Y for example), but this was expected. With 2.5 tonnes and an inexynamic shape, the motorway journeys do not highlight this model.

The cost per 100 kilometers is 16 euros in summer and climbs to more than 21 euros in winter. Of course, this is a record for the exercise, but it is not much higher than some “bad students” that we have already faced in the same exercise. The Peugeot E-208 for example is not that 8 % cheaper on the winter journey, while we are in the presence of a city car against an electric van.

Anyway, it will be interesting to compare this Volkswagen ID. Buzz to other electric vans when this segment is more provided than today, to check those that are most efficient. For the moment, we still notice that despite high consumption, Many electric cars require more charging time for the various journeys.

In winter in particular, in addition to the Peugeot E-208, we find the Hyundai Kona 64 kWh, the Renault Mégane E-Tech EV60 or the MG4 which exceed the two hours of recharge necessary. Which once again shows that the sustained charging power remains very important during large trips.

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Volkswagen ID. Buzz: the fuel of the future

With the new ID. Buzz, Volkswagen takes out its neo-retro style from the bottom of the closet and comes to sprinkle it on its most recent technologies. The result: a family with impressive sympathy capital and above all 100 % electric. Will the mayonnaise take ?

Strong points

• Capital sympathy
• Correct autonomy
• Habitability

Weak points

• Lack of modularity
• Weight
• Plastics in the cabin

You remember the neo-retro style ? Come on, this fashion that saw the Fiat 500, Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle are born. It worked and it always works elsewhere. VW puts the cover with the current version of an anthological model: the famous “Combi”. Yes, this new id. Buzz is a good nod to the past, while putting heading for the future.

In the rear view mirror

This is a hell of a wink because, it must be said, this newborn baby has a face ! Regardless of the finish, regardless of color and regardless of body (family or utility), ID. Buzz overflows with personality. It starts from the front, with the large VW logo and the accent line that recalls the great “V” of T1. The fires with a piercing and clear visual signature look at the future.

On the sides, there are proportions that had previously seen only on a concept car. The overhangs are reduced to a minimum and the wheelbase is enormous (3.0 meters). After the sliding doors (optional electric), we arrive at the rear part which is perhaps the most conventional. Yes, it is reminiscent of the new multivan with its horizontal tailgate and its ends. However, here the optical blocks are connected by an LED strip.

Old

Besides, let’s talk about this multivan. No matter how much the two vehicles would be identical, but nothing could be more false. Just pass the door threshold. Here, we spot the typical elements of VW electrics – 7 -inch instrumentation and 10 -inch infodivement – with, obviously, their mediocre ergonomics. However, everything is placed on a dashboard with a beautiful wooded band surrounded by chrome and the colored touches are not lacking.

In addition, there are storage everywhere. And when we say everywhere, it’s really everywhere ! However, this is the only similarity with the other major person’s carrier at the VW badge. At the back of the ID. Buzz, no modular seats on smart rails, no individual seats and not even third row. Yes, the ID. Buzz may be tall, he only offers … 5 seats ! Worse, the rear seat (foldable in two parts 40/60) is not even removable. VW tries to hide all this with a kind of false floor in the trunk but all it does is encroach on the 1,121 liters of loading space ..

Buzz Lightning ?

As long as you talk about the multivan, we would have much to think that the ID. Buzz shares its platform. well no ! The latest born takes foundation on the new modular platform Meb already broken by the IDs.3, ID.4 and other Cupra Born or Skoda Enyaq. This is the first model to be based on this basis that benefits from an enlarged wheelbase and, according to engineers’ whispers, this is only the short version ..

In short, who says Med, says sharing components. For the moment, the ID. Buzz is only available in pro version. This means that it is equipped with a 77 kWh battery in the floor and that it supplies an electricity an engine of 204 hp and 310 nm of torque on the rear axle. This is enough to provide this friendly giant with a maximum autonomy of 423 km. When the battery is empty, the ID. Buzz can redo the juice of a maximum power of 170 kW (CC).

Surfin ’Vibes

Despite its power, we should not expect the ID. Buzz be a quick minivan. After all, he proclaims almost 2.5 tonnes on the scale. A word of advice: it is better to roll relax, like a Californian surfer who awaits the wave. In addition, it is a type of driving that suits much better the slightly clumsy damping of this big beast and general comfort, assisted by good sound insulation. Also, the electric is much better to the neo-retro hippie style.

As long as talking Peace and love, Peace between your passengers will continue for longer than expected. Yes, during our test on the Danish roads, the ID. Buzz was fairly economical for a machine of its size. After a hundred kilometers, our average set up at 18.5 kWh/100 km while VW announces at least 20.5 kWh/100 km. Driving this, it is a breeze to exceed 423 km of autonomy.

Price

Since it is (for the moment) the largest vehicle on the VW electric base, it is not surprising that it is also the most expensive. For the moment, in its pro finish equipped with the 77 kWh battery and the 204 hp engine, the ID. Buzz has an entry -level price of € 60,699.05 (France: € 56,990). It is almost 10,000 € more than a multivan or an ID.4 with equivalent powers (France: equivalent price).

Conclusion

Volkswagen succeeds in the bet with the ID. Buzz. No, not to move the masses to electric … but that of charming us ! Admittedly, its modularity is muddled and its ergonomics is just as much but this friendly giant compensates for this with good engine, global comfort and, above all, a personality that can only be adored.

Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro (2022)

• Engine: electric
• Power: 204 hp
• Couple: 310 Nm
• Transmission: Fixed ratio
• 0-100 km/h: 10.2 s
• Maximum speed: 145 km/h
• Chest: 1 121 – 2 205L
• Battery: 77 kWh
• Autonomy: 423 km (WLTP)
• Consumption: 18.5 kWh/100 km (measured)
• Price: 60,699.05 (France: € 56,990)