Volkswagen: ID.Buzz relies on recyclates and leather substitutes

Compact external dimensions with plenty of interior space is what Volkswagen promises for the ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargo, both making their world debut on March 9. However, the vehicles are still near-production studies and are not yet available for sale. According to VW, the ID.Buzz is supposed to have five seats and still offer space for 1,121 liters of luggage when fully occupied. The maximum storage volume of the ID. Buzz Cargo, equipped with a partition behind the first row of seats, will be over 3.9 cubic meters, according to VW.

The ID.Buzz is supposed to be available in seven monochrome and four two-tone paint finishes. Inside, a combination of white and fresh colors is used, along with design elements from the T1 generation. The colors correspond with the exterior paints, according to the manufacturer, and can be found, if desired, in the seat inner surfaces, the dashboard, and the door panels. The ambient lighting (optional with up to 30 colors) is meant to set accents. Various ID. Buzz motifs are also applied in the interior, including some functional features such as a bottle opener and an ice scraper.

With the new vehicle model, the manufacturer is, according to their own statements, taking a step further towards fully electrified mobility. The Volkswagen concept aims to reduce CO2 emissions per vehicle in Europe by 40 percent by 2030, and the company aims to be climate-neutral on a balance sheet basis by no later than 2050. With the Accelerate strategy, the company intends, according to its own statements, to increase the share of pure electric models in total vehicle sales in Europe to at least 70 percent and in North America and China to at least 50 percent by 2030. For the ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo, leather and other materials of animal origin are to be completely avoided; instead, substitute materials with similar properties and haptics will be used: The steering wheel rim consists of polyurethane.

Materials from recycled products will be used for seat covers, floor coverings, and the headliner, it is reported - for example, a fabric made from Seaqual yarn, whose threads consist of approximately ten percent collected marine plastic and approximately 90 percent PES (recycled PET bottles). This would save 32 percent of CO2 emissions compared to comparable products. The company is also using ArtVelours ECO for the first time in the ID. Buzz, which, according to the manufacturer, consists of 71 percent recycled material.