VW I.D. Buzz Cargo zips into LA with a racing-themed getup
It's dressed up as a support vehicle for the I.D. R Pikes Peak electric race car.
Volkswagen first showed off the I.D. Buzz Cargo electric van concept in September, but it'll be put to work at this week's LA Auto Show .
Volkswagen will bring the I.D. Buzz Cargo to the LA Auto Show with a twist. As opposed to just being a regular ol' cargo van, as it was when originally announced, it'll have a purpose in LA, albeit an imagined one -- it's been gussied up to play the role of a support vehicle for VW's also-electric I.D. R Pikes Peak race car.
The outside wears a livery showcasing its purpose, on top of the two-tone white and blue paint job that we've seen before. Inside, there's a sorting system for spare parts and everything else a race car might need on a race weekend.
I'll never get tired of looking at this van.
The cabin is pretty similar to the original I.D. Buzz, although its materials appear a bit more durable, since it's a cargo van and all. Just like the O.G. Buzz, the wheel can disappear into the dashboard when the vehicle is operating autonomously. At that point, the driver can rotate their seat 15 degrees to the right to operate the tablet that springs forth from the folded-down passenger seat.
Under the body is Volkswagen's MEB platform, which will underpin numerous electric models in the future. The I.D. Buzz Cargo only has a single 201-horsepower electric motor on the rear axle, but VW notes that a second can be added up front to give it all-wheel drive. It's limited to 99 miles per hour, and depending on the battery pack's size (multiple are available), the range is estimated to be between 200 and 340 miles.
VW clearly understands that electricity won't bring benefits to families alone. In its release, VW notes that delivery trucks comprise 7 percent of urban traffic and 17 percent of congestion costs. Going electric wouldn't solve the traffic problem, but it would definitely clean up the air and prevent fuel waste when idling. It'll be a while before this van becomes a reality, though -- VW says that if it were to enter production, it wouldn't do so until 2022 at the earliest.
VW I.D. Buzz: The future is electric, and it's also a microbus.
VW I.D. Crozz: This will be the first I.D. EV to grace American shores.
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