Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo

Don’t stare!

The retro-look ID. Buzz Cargo is definitely causing quite a stir, says Andrew Walker

The ID.Buzz Cargo is the first all-electric van from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. It’s built on the MEB Platform that also features on the company’s ID. car range, but what makes it really stand out is that it has been designed with more than a nod to the classic Type 1 VW panel van from 1949, meaning it has a truly retro look.

There are two models to choose from, the Commerce and the Commerce Plus, with prices starting at £46,621 including VAT.

Exterior

In a world of bland vans – after all, how do you make a box on wheels look good? – the Buzz Cargo is refreshingly different. At the front the Cargo has high LED headlights, with a slim lateral bar joining these with the large VW logo in the middle. Beneath this sits a honeycomb grille. The sides are smooth and flat, while the rear double doors also feature a mid-height light bar and narrow corner LED rear lights. There’s also large VW logo on the left hand door facing the ID. BUZZ lettering.

Interior

ID. Buzz Cargo launches as standard with three seats in the cab: driver’s seat plus double bench seat. If you don’t want the bench, you can option a single seat for the front passenger. There’s a fixed bulkhead behind the seats and this too can be personalised with a window or a hatch.

The dashboard layout, fixtures and fittings will be familiar to existing Volkswagen customers. All of it is exceptionally well made, looks good and feels durable. The main colour options are dark grey, black and chrome. The centrally located 10” infotainment touchscreen sits neatly in the centre on what is a very uncluttered dashboard.

Haptic climate controls lifted from the VW car range sit underneath this, with separate buttons badged MENU, CLIMA, ASSIST and MODE beneath. The cockpit in front of the driver has a free-standing 5.3” ID. Cockpit display.

The steering wheel controls can be used to access the Adaptive Cruise Control and other safety features, with those on the right offering shortcuts to the DAB radio, Bluetooth or, if connected, via VW App-Connect, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. You also have two USB-C ports and two USB-C charging sockets up front.

Practicality

The Cargo is fitted with hard-wearing basket cloth seat upholstery and a heated driver’s seat. You also get a cabin width storage area on top of the dash, a good sized glove box, space to rest your phone in front of the USB ports, a cubby hole at the centre bottom of the dash, space above the glove box and double door storage.

The rear load space features LED lighting, four floor load lashing rings and lashing rails on the side walls. Cargo load space is 3.9 m3 with room for two Euro pallets. The load space measures 1,217 mm wide x 2,208mm long. GVW is 3,000 kg. Maximum payload is 607 kg, with a 1,000 kg braked towing capacity. Cargo also comes with twin sliding side doors and a wide opening tailgate. There’s a space under the right-hand side load floor for your charging cable and handily, the charging sockets are located on the rear right side of the van.

The ID. Buzz Cargo ‘Buzz Box’ (available with single passenger seat) is specifically tailored to use at work. In its top section it provides a large compartment for a laptop or clipboard, a further cup holder and a 1.4-litre flip-open compartment Connectivity Unit (OCU), into which a fixed SIM card (eSIM) is integrated. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ latest model utilises the OCU to access the increasingly comprehensive range of online services and vehicle functions of We Connect and We Connect Plus. We Connect Plus functions are available free of charge for one year with the Commerce while customers choosing the Commerce Plus can enjoy the service for free for three years.

Battery, range and charging

The $64,000 question with all EVs is how far will it go and how long does it take to charge? With a 77kWh battery the Cargo has range of 256 miles. On an 11 kW AC charger, the battery can go from 0 to 100 % in seven hours 30 minutes. On a 7kW home charging wall box, such as our own Rolec, (https://www.rolecserv. com/ev-charging) a full charge will take around 11 hours. If you’re out and about the Buzz Cargo can be charged at DC fast-charging stations at up to 170 kW. In this case, the battery is charged up from 5 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes.

Performance

The electric motor is integrated into the driven rear axle and develops a power output of 204 PS. 310 Nm of torque delivers enough

power to reach 62 mph in 10.2 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 90 mph.

Four driving modes are offered: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual. As with the VW car ID range, the gear lever is located to the top right of the steering wheel. Simply twist to select from Drive, Neutral or Reverse. There’s also a B regeneration function, so once you are in Drive D, twist once more to engage this. It works really well, making the Cargo slow down when you remove your foot off the accelerator, great for downhill stretches and, of course, for extending your Cargo’s range.

Behind the wheel

The Buzz Cargo is without a doubt the easiest medium-sized van you can drive. It’s equipped with all of the same functions, physical switches and buttons as the ID car range, making it a large car driving experience.

The driver’s seat is supportive and comfortable, the steering wheel multi-adjustable and a good driving position is easy to find. Reaching and selecting the gears is easier than in the ID cars and the clutter-free dash is a design dream.

Riding on standard 18” steel wheels, the ride is excellent, with the battery weight evenly spread out to encourage the Cargo to grip the road, especially at corners. We did encounter a particularly poor road surface on our drive, several miles of uneven, bobbly tarmac, over which the Cargo had a tendency to fidget a little. To be fair, any car or van would have done the same, but the battery weight under the Cargo does become more noticeable in such circumstances and is worth noting.

Head onto the motorway, however, and everything is serene. Select cruise control to 62mph and the Buzz Cargo will eat up the miles in almost silence and not drain your battery too quickly either. Driver and front passengers get plenty of head and legroom and all of the controls, including the dash-top drinks holder, are easily reached from the driver’s seat.

I own a 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan so I’m used to the idiosyncrasies of VW’s infotainment and climate controls. You’ll need to study a little to stop them catching you out.

Most functions are performed via the central touchscreen and after a week behind the wheel, you will begin to remember what each menu is and how to swipe through to the one you want.

The haptic switches on the steering wheel and dash board are more haphazard though, often taking a hard press to move things along.

Again, the more time you’re in the Buzz, the easier this will get.

Real world driving range

We only travelled 75 miles in the Buzz Cargo, mostly on B roads, some A roads and a stretch of the M40. Our Cargo range showed 231 miles when we climbed aboard. On A and B roads we used the B regeneration function and on the motorway drove at a steady 62mph, alone and unladen.

On our return some 2.5 hours later the range left was showing as 172 miles, so pretty impressive. Of course, you’ll need to factor in ambient temperatures, payload and urgency of your arrival, but we’d commit to an average range of 200 miles, 250 in warmer weather and 160 in colder weather.

Pros

Quite easily the best looking van you can buy. Brilliantly bolted together with on-trend tech and connectivity plus all of the safety features you could wish for. It’s also relaxing and easy to drive and gives a comfortable ride. Owning one definitely makes a statement.

Cons

It’s an EV so you have to get used to the fact that the driving range is much less than a Volkswagen Transporter diesel. The battery size and weight also eat into the rear load space, with only a 607kg or 592kg (Commerce Plus ) payload. By way of a comparison, the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric comes with a 1,000kg payload on it’s 75kWh battery offering.

CC&V VERDICT

Of all the electric vans we’ve driven, the ID.Buzz Cargo will divide opinion the most. Very good electric range compared to the competition but compromised by its carrying capacity, which is lower than the Citroen e-Berlingo or Fiat e-Doblo, for example. This may cause a dilemma for some but for us it misses the point: the ID.Buzz Cargo is the first electric van that puts style over substance, prioritising its classic history to create a look that very definitely stands out in a crowd. Volkswagen has, in our opinion, created a must-have van for those who want their business or product to stand out. Refreshingly different.

CC&V RATING: N N N N N