As Volkswagen Australia works on the local roll-out of its future electric cars, the company may add a modern Kombi pick-up to the ID. Buzz model mix.
A dual-cab pick-up version of the electric Volkswagen ID. Buzz has become a high priority for Australia, following a patent application in Europe that hints at a production future for the four-door work-and-play vehicle.
Volkswagen Australia is already pushing towards a confirmation for local sales of the electric ID. Buzz van and people mover, and has now placed a potential pick-up in its sights.
Global interest in the pick-up was triggered by the patent application, first reported by Germany’s Autobild. The VW ID. Buzz ute patent’s validity was confirmed by a source at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Germany.
“Any electric vehicle with a commercial or recreational purpose sits firmly within our wheelhouse and is squarely in our sights,” the brand director for commercial vehicles at Volkswagen Australia, Ryan Davies, told Drive.
Volkswagen Australia is also believed to be close to finalising its plans for local sales of the ID. Buzz van and people mover, with an announcement expected before the end of the year.
The van is already on sale in the UK in right-hand drive, which will simplify any import plans for Australia, although the starting price there for the people mover is close to $100,000.
There are also plans, previously reported by Drive, to boost the Buzz with extra performance and all-wheel drive versions.
The four-door dual-cab pick-up shown in the patent papers is a chopped-down version of the ID. Buzz people mover concept revealed in 2017, with the rear end converted into a load space.
The design – as well as the angle of the photo – are identical to a concept rendering teased through an official tweet by Volkswagen Group on April 27 to mark World Design Day, and posted to Instagram by Volkswagen’s head of design, Klaus Zyciora.
Differences between the design rendering and the patent are limited to the background behind the car.
At the time, Volkswagen said the concept pick-up in the tweet was an ‘unseen draft’ that was made during the early development work on the ID. Buzz project.
Today is World #DesignDay????
— Volkswagen Group (@VWGroup) April 27, 2022
On the way from an idea to production, there are a lot of unseen design drafts made – like this one:
An #IDBuzz pick-up!
What do you think about it?
???? = Love it!
???? = Good that it was just an idea… pic.twitter.com/ZFFfnlPWnX
The pick-up is described as the ‘Doka Buzz’ — for double cabin — by Autobild, but all three ID. Buzz models are likely to be tagged by fans with the historic Kombi label in Australia.
In the UK, the rear-wheel drive ID. Buzz is powered by a rear-mounted electric motor with 150kW and 310Nm, with a 77kWh lithium-ion battery pack to provide a 400km claimed range.
There are future plans for a 111kWh battery, as well as a seven-seater version of the people mover aimed at the US market.
The post 2022 Volkswagen ID. Buzz: Electric Kombi on wish list for Australia appeared first on Drive.