VM Test VW ID. Buzz Pro: The Official Bulli of a Better World

The E-Bulli is not just a great electric car. The Bulli is also an ambassador. And a mobile contact point: Stunned looks were guaranteed while completing our test run. "Is that the new electric bus? Can I take a picture? I need to send this to my son right away," a saleswoman asked us in front of our photo location in northern Munich. Unfortunately, the test run, including the now almost obligatory traffic jam due to the full closure on the A9 near Pfaffenhofen, significantly messed up our highway average speed, but at least it garnered appreciative comments from students on the bypass: "Wow, WHAAAAT is THAT?!", a boy whispered to his friend. And he hit the nail on the head. It was as if a spaceship had landed. And indeed: The Buzz, with its futuristic slow-driving sound, hums along like something from another planet - immediately making the previously rather drab design of VW electric cars with their somewhat sad "droopy eyes" a thing of the past. 

This also applies to the interior of the "Pro" named combo version, which has been cheerfully spruced up and cleverly conceals that it is largely made of hard plastic, albeit mostly recycled and with a high sustainability claim. "This looks great," our saleswoman also commented during a spontaneous seating test. Snapping a photo and sending it to her son. You sit on comfortable seats made from a mix of recycled materials and synthetic leather; the interior is completely "animal leather-free," though the steering wheel made of synthetic material really feels like leather. Cleverly done, in any case. There is also plenty of space, which you might expect with a length of 4.71 meters and a robust, borderline city-friendly width of 1.98 meters and a height of 1.95 meters. You can lounge casually on the 2/3 to 1/3 split rear seat, with reclining backrests still adjustable in angle and the seats shiftable on a rail, which is pretty unnecessary, though.

Relatively high loading floor

Because: Behind the seats, due to the rear-wheel drive of the MEB corporate platform, a small pedestal situation arises for the trunk. However, the ingenious engineers turned this necessity into a virtue by simply but effectively fixing a "stage floor"-like structure called "bed plate" in the trunk, which is already quite high at 62 centimeters, using four screws. This creates a flat, 1.95-meter long and 1.23-meter wide loading and lying surface when the seats are folded down, which still leaves a headroom of 90 centimeters and on which one can even "bed" oneself quite well, meaning it is quite possible to sleep there. The only thing sorely missed are a few openable windows, forcing one to leave the front windows slightly open for air supply.

With the drawers and the extremely robust, foldable floor at the rear, the creation of the "Prussian plateau" is at least "exalted DIY craftsmanship." Thus, a small camper van is created, in the spirit of its ancestor, turning the E-Bulli into a multipurpose vehicle. Removing the plate and its foldable aluminum frame using the four screws leaves a massive 1,121-liter loading cavern that can easily swallow a bicycle upright. This indicates: For 4.71 meters of external length, the internal length is excellent, so the ultra-short Bulli nose has a tangible advantage.

The flexibility is rather moderate - but the bed pedestal is clever

Unfortunately, the seating cannot be dismantled; otherwise, a "wave" would remain in the middle of the floor. According to reports, this is to maintain the distance to the T7 Multivan, which offers significantly more flexibility. Those who need more space can wait for the L2 variant of the ID.Buzz Pro, which will then feature a removable third row with a rather spartan double seat intended for children, and thus seven seats – and when the seats are folded down, a maximum volume of 2,469 liters compared to 2,123 liters in the standard version, as well as a 19-centimeter wider sliding door. However, the "city compatibility" would be completely lost, as the length grows from a still acceptable 4.71 to 4.96 meters, the same length as a T7 Multivan.

Ultimately, this is casual luxury – and the standard version offers more than enough space, with mentioned limitations in flexibility. It is better to indulge in the elegantly foldable trailer hitch and attach a bike carrier or a trailer weighing up to 1,000 kilos as needed. Speaking of weight: The sturdy format leaves only 420 kilos of payload during official weighing... This is the downside of the "brave new electric world," as the heavy batteries "fatten" it up.

The short Buzz is completely sufficient

We would say: In the (relative) shortness lies the ID.Buzz's charm – and its unique position compared to the T7. After all, the latter is still a combustion engine, with diesel and at most an old-fashioned plug-in hybrid... Those who want to be modern and emission-free – and attract the attention of the younger generation – cannot overlook the ID.Buzz. Because the T7 appears less stylish and, above all, technologically like, sorry, an "old hat."

The style already fits, but the driving characteristics are as fun as the look. With the 150 kW rear motor, the solid 2.6-ton electric vehicle zooms to 100 km/h in ten seconds. The 310 Nm of torque brings the E-Bulli so dry and directly to the ground that it is pure joy. No wonder, as a look at the ample tire formats reveals: After all, the 21-inch aluminum wheels are enclosed by 255 tires at the rear and 235 Hankook Ventus Evo tires at the front, which make one dread any potential repairs.

Even the slightest curb contact of the almost "overwide" electric transporter causes unsightly "scratches" in the aluminum. But: Who needs the 210 kW motor of the L2 version, which in doubt drives up price and consumption, so that of the envisaged additional kilometers, thanks to the somewhat larger 85 kWh battery instead of the 77 kWh base, hardly anything remains in reality – even though for the first time, a heat pump helps save energy. According to WLTP, it should be 474 to 422 in the "base Bulli". And that already costs 54,270 euros, as we consider mentioning to the equally astonished saleswoman...

Against the power orgies: Very quick on the go with 150 kW

Even in Eco mode, it still goes sufficiently fast, especially since the maximum power can always be called up via kickdown. How linearly, how accurately, how quietly the E-Bulli accelerates commands respect. Especially when driving, the ID.Buzz overshadows the T7 or even the no longer available T6.1. The road holding is (also thanks to the monster tires and wide track) solid, the 2.9-ton vehicle loaded with 300 kilos completely forgets its weight on country roads, zipping with a clean line, sensitive steering, and hardly noticeable lateral inclination down the roads. A 750-kilo trailer doesn't bother the bulky Bulli in the least, pulling the load effortlessly up the 16 percent Zirler Berg – and braking it down dutifully, diligently recuperating. The power remains abundant, there are no traction problems thanks to the rear drive, and the small trailer gently tugs at the easily button-foldable hitch with elegantly integrated socket. However, during trailer operation, it becomes even more noticeable that a finer adjustment of the recuperation degree would be useful. Thus, it is quite an "on-off relationship" with the gear nub. Sometimes it's too much, sometimes too little to smoothly chug down the valley behind "smoking" diesel motorhomes.

The comfort, however, is high, potholes are acknowledged by the rock-solid body with a dry pop, gliding along encapsulated in the well-insulated "spaceship" from Hanover. Above all, the good insulation is noticeable on the highway, comfortably and quickly cruising at 120 km/h without driving consumption excessively up. Reasonably, it stops at 145 km/h, a speed we only attempted briefly to compensate for the previous crawling in the traffic jam.