More than 200 miles in "cold" weather for a big car with less than 90kwh useable battery is not terrible. So the 10% challange will tell the road trip ability. Thank you for testing the Buzz.
Yeah I feel like 150 miles of usable range is the minimum as most people are not going to go to 0% or up to 100% on a trip. That gets you about 2 hours of driving on a road trip which is far as my bladder can handle.
I just finished a 1.5 month tour of AZ, NM and TX (3700 miles) in an ID.Buzz 1st Edition RWD, mostly on the highway and all but once never limiting to 70 when speed limits were higher. The one time I did stay below the speed limit was due to range anxiety about getting to my next stop. My overall average in the end was 2.1M/kWH. Prior to the final week where I had more speed limits of 80 than the prior weeks, my long term avg was 2.4M/kWH. My range was consistently over 200 miles per charge, and in areas with lower speed limits I saw between 230 and 255 for a full charge. Due to the long distances between my focus cities, I often needed to charge to 100% (and did.) Ultimately, I found the Buzz highly impressive for its market segment, and really overall as an EV. IMHO it's truly a home run for VW. Good video. Keep 'em coming.
VW is doing the one thing I have been baffled by BEVs. I think that vans are a better choice for many people vs SUVs. I hope this is will be just the start of this segment.
I never really understood 3 row SUVs as it's just a minivan, but with a higher ride height meaning less cargo room. Like a 3 row SUV will never be as good off roading as a 2 row as they're too heavy so I really don't get it. And if you really think you need an off roading car because you occasionally drive on gravel, you don't need it. I work on the railroad and the yard vans drive 2010 Grand Caravans or 2017 Odysseys around the yards. And we're talking pretty nasty ditches they drive over.
I also hope they keep going on this van theme, VW and others. This one is missing a lot of the amenities that we minivan drivers expect, but it’s a big big step in the right direction.
I really like this car. I did a test ride and almost bought one, but the range is dismal for a car that is perfect for a road trip. We have an ID4 with 34k miles on the clock in two years. We charge at home 99% of the time, and as a daily driver, the ID4 is a great car, but we still have an ICE car for longer trips. The IDbuzz has even less range than the ID4. Sugarcoating doesn't help; the only thing that will help is a bigger battery or significantly improving the charging infrastructure.
Does your ID4's infotainment system have the same issues as the Buzz? If so, was it was it easy to get accustomed to? Or do you still find it annoying to deal with?
@@chkymnky98 The only thing I know about the Infotainment system is that the IDbuzz has a newer software version, that is it. To be honest, I am not paying a lot of attention to a car's infotainment system. If the Bluetooth connection is flawless and my cell connects to the car when I hop in, that is enough for me. The ID4 did the 34k miles in two years without one problem. We had the usual inspections, two recalls that were fixed during routine maintenance, and one self-inflicted repair. One positive side effect: we charged almost exclusively at home and our electricity bill only increased by a couple of bucks a month.
Super review. Thank you. I can tell I am in the minority, as every single reviewer I can think of hates the two-button window controller, but I LOVE that idea. The reason I love the two-button controller as it keeps me from inadvertently lowering a back window when I wanted to lower the driver's window. This typically happens when lowering the window to pay for tolls and to grab parking tickets. In the case of paying tolls, I typically click to open the window moments before arriving at the toll booth, which means I miss opening my driver's window in time if I inadvertently click the rear window controller by mistake. Having only two-buttons for controlling the windows eliminates this confusion. I may be the only one who likes this feature, but from my perspective, I say "Thank you Volkswagen!".
Honestly how many times do you open the rear windows when you are driving? My current car is 14 years old and I don't even know if they roll down:) Actually just kidding but I don't remember ever rolling them down.
I learned that a lot more people are apparently frequent users of the rear windows, than I ever thought. For me, it's mostly a positive because it's easier to find the correct window switch and just a little bit of a hassle in the rare times I have to lower the rear windows. Another possibility is that they *think* they lower it more than they do. Third possibility is they are just jumping on the bandwagon looking for something to complain about. Then again, there is always the first possibility I mentioned, and everyone is out there lowering rear windows all the time.
yes this is probably how it was sold on the powerpoint in Wolfsburg (along with the $0.40 per car it saves in buttons) HOWEVER the problem isn't the 2 switches, but the toggle labelled "REAR". Unlike, for example, a L-R toggle for mirror adjustment, the REAR toggle isn't a physical button, and it is so easy to brush this capacitive area by accident without realizing it while driving, that you have no idea what state it is in before you press the window down button. You have to look at the REAR touch area on the door and see if the word is illuminated, which no one can practically do. I cannot tell you how bad this is to live with for 3 years, literally every time you have to take a toll ticket or talk with someone or get pulled over on the highway, you lower your rear window by accident. VW didn't test this at all before releasing multiple vehicles with this design, and it shows a lack of thoughtfulness and willingness to listen to feedback. How difficult would it be to make the REAR into a button by this point 5 years later from the ID.4? Or to put a little plastic around that REAR button? Or to even put an indicator on the cluttered instrument cluster indicating the state? Or to be a little smarter and have the toggle revert to front control after the driver has finished adjusting the rear window? Trust me, get anything else other than something with this design, it represents the lack of good design with so much else in this car.
@ev_kimchi I've used it for over 3 years and haven't once hit it by mistake. I think there is a timeout after you hit it as well. However, I can see how that would be annoying. I guess it depends on how you rest your arm, seat position and arm length. Some people also touch the capacitive steering wheel buttons when turning the wheel. I haven't had that problem either. They then "resume" cruise control while turning into a parking lot. With all the negative feedback, it seems to have cost them more money than they have saved. A button like the mirrors have but in the forward/back direction would be easier to change.
I love my id buzz pro 23 mod. Range is more than enough for me . 415km range. Winter around 300 . The one time im doing long trips with it is in the summer .
The fact you wrote your range in kilometers shows it's likely not as serious an issue as it is in the US. Just my home state is 310 miles from east to west alone and my daily commute is 90 miles one way or 180 round trip. That's not even that unusual here in the US with many living in rural areas. Just for applying to my current job required me to go to a training facility 850 miles away. I did that stopping once to fill up for a 13 hour trip. And that was only a few states over. America is huge. The country is nearly the entire size of the European continent and people regularly go on road trips between states.
@Skylancer727 yeah usa is big . Its abit different there i think. I live in Norway and I dont do any long trips . Only in the summer. I drove from Fredrikstad to Tromsø last summer and back. 1800km one way and I had 8 charges each way.
@@pine111 no, they "SHOULD", not they "do"... And it should be easy to make them do it. Build them lighter and more aero. That "some" do, means they 'all can'...
I notice that sometimes you guys make comments that your set speed is affecting others on the road. Ex. Slow pass to keep the speed at 70. What about putting a temp notice on the back stating "vehicle testing, we apologize for the delay"
I love this van, and may get one in the used market one day. The range is fine for the occasional trip, but I think i definitely rather have an EV9. Here on the east coast you don't often get to roadtrip for 200 miles at 70mph. This would be a great suburban family vehicle (Soccer Mom).
There is assisted lane changing, you need to turn it on in settings. Then it will show you small grey arrows on the adaptive screen and when there is nothing next to you, it turns white, which then you can tap the turn signal and keep your hand touching the wheel, and it will change lanes
I rarely drive 70 mph so these range tests mean nothing to me! Ever considered doing half the test at 70 mph and the other half at 65 mph? Would be beneficial to see the difference for efficiency!
@@LongDistanceMotorcycleFans Though that would be tempting, it may not be worth it with the infotainment issues. The "quirks" are deal breakers for me. I'm gonna hold out for the second gen of the Buzz, used. Hopefully by then, the annoying things will be fixed.
TPMS in VW just counts tire rotations against each other and a calibration factor...every time you change a tire's pressure you need to punch the reset "button" so that it can learn the new calibration over the first few miles.
Unlikely. The Aptera is designed to get around 30-40 a day with 10 miles per kilowatt and 3m² of space. The buzz has more on top, but also has zero on the front and uses 4 times the energy per mile. So it's likely less than 8 miles a day more likely 5. Not really useful to most people.
@@nitrobenz1694 not really since the main time you'll be using it as a camper is at night. On a trip you drive during daylight and retire at sundown. Unless you're planning on doing the opposite, but many campgrounds have hours that make that a bit finicky.
@@Skylancer727 I was thinking about multiple days spent at the same site or having the car parked at a trailhead during a backpacking trip. For a one night stay you are correct that it would not help there.
Range anxiety is real on the ID.Buzz I would hate to say. VW need to add a range extending generator in that thing that will automatically comes on when the charge is below 10% remaining. I don't think getting stranded on a long trip is considered "fun" even though the van looks fun.
For a city vehicle, this is a fine start. For those of us who live in rural areas, 230 miles probably doesn't cut it. Either VW needs better battery tech or they just need to stuff a bigger battery in. Maybe make some improvements in the motors for efficiency too. Software looks much better though they should improve their software with the Rivian alliance.
Lets say, thats a pretty fair statement. The Buzz is at the moment not a fit for everyone, but for some it might just fit perfectly. Just check your own routes. But basically its with EVs in general. EV's arent the ideal choice for everyone, but for some.
My issue is for a city vehicle do you need this much space/storage cubbies and space etc? It seems like a weird mix to me. I'm sure there are some edge cases where ppl have a bunch of kids to move around town from one sport to another with a bunch of gear where this may be useful. But imo that car will need a 150 kW battery capable of charging 10-80% in 25 minutes to truly be successful in North america. But that'd add another 10k to the price and may just not be in the cards before solid state packaging makes them small enough so maybe not yet. Maybe in 5 years or so. We seem to see about a 10% year over year growth in battery packs.
I really like this VW ev..200 freeway miles is just fine for California..this has 100% character vs the plain Tesla boring EV's..I will dump my model 3 if and when VW EV' can charge at the Tesla superchargers..
The TPMS in the VWs is dumb. In my ID4 after I check the pressures, I have to reset the system in the vehicle settings so that it recognizes the new pressures
The MEB platform doesn't have pressure sensors. It uses the ABS sensors to detect wheel rotations. After you set the pressure or get new tires you need to reset the system when you know they are at a good value. A little annoying, but on the plus side you can toss any wheels on there without worrying about pairing TPSM sensors.
No batteries to replace would be nice. But I like having exact psi readings per tire while driving. For example, I got a puncture on a multi-mile two lane bridge with no shoulder while towing a trailer. Got the low tire warning, but was able to monitor the pressure and saw I could make it safely over the bridge. (Astoria-to-Washington bridge)
The styling is spot on. The price is too much. The range is not enough. I would still be interested if they can adjust the price and increase the range. Very happy to see that VW released its bus back into the wild.
Clearly, it's throwback to the old Volkswagen Bus which everybody loved. Mostly because it was extremely affordable and looked cool. When you charge a lot for this one, it kinda loses it's main purpose. It's only for the well-to-do.
With kids you have to make a break after 2 hours of driving anyway, so no issue for road trip at least with NACS. But of course if you have only 2 kids just take a model 3, and a model Y if you have 3 kids.
Unless they sell this van under 50 grand, it will be on dealer lots forever. Maybe in the big cities over 70 grand isn't much money but in the heartland it's quite expensive.
My local dealer in a wealthy area has 3 or 4 of them already and I haven't seen any on the road. Compared to the Rivian R1S and the new Defender, you couldn't walk two blocks without seeing them on the street. These things are DOA for the price, even the rich people know that it's overpriced.
Why not use a Silverado ev to charge that thing? I’ve used mine for v2v and v2l several times. Works awesome. Im not surprised some vehicles have issues with the cyber truck given all their issues.
Yes BUT - I borrowed my aunt's Jetta (ice) for an overnight trip a few years ago... Hit the highway, went to program my destination into the Nav and it said "No can do while driving - Pull over to enter destination." Fuuuuck Yooooou!! I will NEVER buy a VW if they choose to impose this kind of over-zealous nanny limitation. I wish he tried to enter one in the Buzz to see if they still have the same issue. I also did NOT like the adaptive / follow cruise control, whatever they call it. Maddening.
My experience with my VW ID3 is that it does closer to its stated EPA [OK, I'm in the UK so it's WLTP for me] than many other vehicles do to theirs. I have absolutely no doubt, if the Buzz test had been done at 65mph, which many people will cruise at, it will do its rated range. At least VWs do one thing pretty well. 😉
To put the VW's efficiency into context; I follow the YT channel of a guy who drives electric trucks in Germany; he drove a route through the mountains with a 30 tonne load, and was getting 2.4 miles per KWh.
At much lower speeds, I follow the same YT channel. In Germany, speed limit for trucks is 80 km/h (50 mph) on the motorway and 60 km/h (40 mph) when on non-motorway roads.
Nothing to do with the range test but what is with the constant thumping heard in the cab ? Is that the joints in the concrete roadway? What interstate are you on ? Stress testing the suspension and the battery at the same time . Bonus!😊😊😊🇨🇦🇨🇦
Liking these videos. Where I live, the dealers are desperate to sell their stock, and are offering insane discounts on 'delivery mileage' 2024 models. Their pre-negotiation price is around 44k, but some haggling will get you down to sub 40k. Where I live is a large GA airfield, with hundreds of them all lined up waiting for customers. 200 miles is not an issue. The longest road trip to my inlaws is only 140 miles.
I would never buy one of these toys . Who needs the anxiety every time you go somewhere for the luxury of having what will be a "Cute" novelty for a few months , Just stupid . Thanks for the honest review
$80k - why? Other note, unfortunately given the state of most EV charging stations I would not suggesting arriving at 2-5% SOC - need to give yourself more buffer to ensure you are able to get to the next EV chraging station.
Hm maybe its because it is legally not allowed (in germany) to run out of fuel on the "Autobahn", as well as not to drive below certain speed as well (i think 80´s km/h or something) so it makes much sense the cutoff is ... when the batterie really "dies" in the software to prevent damage, to have it run above these criterias
Don’t hate me for saying this, but when my EV lease is up in 2 years, I will only lease a new EV that has over 300 miles at full charge (and hopefully closer to 400 miles).
I wonder what the RWD model would do. Based on the EPA rating, not much. Compared to the EV9: Both are RWD ~$60K. Both are 3 row. But the EV9 (long range for 60K) is ~270mi in your 70mph test compared to 215 here. EV9 is 100kwh battery compared to 91 on the buzz. The efficency is better on the EV9 at 2.8mi/kwh compared to 2.5 on the buzz. The buzz is 195 x 78in. The EV9 is 197 x 78in. Very similar. I'm sure the buzz has some practicality benefits over the EV9 given that its a van. It makes more use of the length with the flat front compared to a big hood of a SUV. But for road tripping, its just not there. As a practical family mini-van around town though, its still pretty neat.
Can you make it clear to your team(s) that lower speed efficiency is better if you don't slow down and speed up? That the regen does help, but doesn't fully cancel out the energy used to speed up. If you were going slowly at a steady speed, you would have a greater range than either fast and steady or slow and start/stop driving.
I'll keep asking the same question until an online reviewer answers it, can the ID.Buzz hold a 4*8 sheet flat on the floor. that design parameter pretty much defined the redesign of the Honda Odyssey in 2000 and the Toyota sienna in 2005. I own an ID.4, my issue is not with the platform, my issue is for the North American market that is frankly table stakes
@ms-jl6dl are you accounting for interior panels, seat mounting points? door handles, seatbelt anchors, trims etc. the exterior dimensions are not the issue, it's the payload capabilities that is. even engineering explained had a photomontage with a tape measure just at 48" but did not actually test it. it's a complaint I've had on every id.buzz video I've seen, including the teasters that dropped year ago - still no reviewer has definitively tested it. so I'll keep asking, does a 4*8 fit? because for the American market a multi use family hauler definitely has that capability as a real use consideration. might not be make or break, but it's up there with behind the 3rd row cargo capacity.
is it "cheating" by driving through less dense air? 🤔 does the constant elevation change cancel the air density "advantage"? having a gray interior mk4 GTI (bought new in Denver), I certainly hope the VW white interior/steering wheel is easy to keep clean. what will the white look like in the heavy used/sat in areas? After 15 years, my GTIs rear seats looked brand new...but the drivers seat had a "dirt tinge" to it and you could tell when comparing it to the passenger seat... 😎
Ok guys...I understand the range test and agree with your results. But I would be interested in seeing how much the range would change if the vehicle had three or four... maybe more people in the van. After all people would buy this to carry more than one person.
$72,000 is an ABSOLUTE non- starter. I would at least consider a the diesel, but it is not sold in the US. I previously owned both a Type 2 and a Type 3 vans (in the US).
I jumped around so I may have missed you talking about it, but what is the rhythmic thumping in the audio? It sounds like your driving over the shoulder rumple strips, or have a flat spotted tire.
I have a question as to why you did your test in B mode while you were traveling at highway speeds?… B mode would only be used for city driving or hilly environments… I think you need to redo this test. 🤔
That is the main limitation. However, it would compromised its superb passanger dimensions. As charging stations continue proliferating it will be an OK road tripper.
this doesn't have a bigger battery because that is the most expensive component in a BEV, and this thing was already going to have to be priced very high. Would you have thought this thing was "so good" if it cost $90k with a 110Kwh battery?
@ev_kimchi false, they already upgraded the batteries in their current EV line in Europe. Also true for Skoda and Cupra. Might not be the case for North America but I'm surprised considering the comments on this video
I don't own a house or apartment with a charger. The prices for charging are too high to make an electric vehicle economical relative to the convenience of gasoline. Does anybody who knows the EV industry well have an estimate for when public charging will be less expensive per mile than using gasoline?
I like it. I don't like the software. If it doesn't have one pedal driving then that's a negative for me. With supercharger access it would be fine on the highway.
This comment doesn't have anything to do about the ID Buzz. But I'm considering on purchasing a 2013 model S 60, with 163k miles. Should I stay away from it? The dealership i work at is selling it for just under $12k
Ford lightning has been out 2 years now, why haven’t they provided more options with route planning??? I can’t add or remove and the copilot can even using the planner bc the vehicle is in motion. What?! Seems like ford isn’t the only company giving users more flexibility.
It's a VW EV... of course it has no range. VAG get's points in the design arena with all their EV's but they really need to step up their game in the battery and range department.
this needed to have a 113kwh battery or an expensive 131kwh battery. If ford can sell the f150 flash for less than 80k with a battery that big, vw can certainly do it
Range is far from the only thing that matters during EV roadtripping, charging matters just as much if not more, I would wait to see the 10% challenge on this.
GM and Ford should come out 19.2 kw Vehicle to Vehicle charging since they offer 19.2 kw onboard AC charging. Tesla and all manufacturers should have 19.2 kw DC V to V and V to G. Tesla should have made the nema 14-50 plug able to handle 50 amp draw for 20 to 30 minutes minimum. All 120 volt plugs on vehicles should be nema 5-20 plugs and NOT the NEMA 5-15 / 15 amp plugs like Rivian is using. A nema 5-20 plug would be great for power backup and boondocking needs.
More than 200 miles in "cold" weather for a big car with less than 90kwh useable battery is not terrible. So the 10% challange will tell the road trip ability. Thank you for testing the Buzz.
Tbh, it's not too far off from our '23 ID4. Although it's tough to say, as they are in thin air elevation.
True. But still not enough for a road trip.
Only one person on board. What's the point of it being big?
I would get 180 miles or less at 5 deg F. in a Kia Niro using heat with a HP system. But I no longer have the EV focused tires on it.
Yeah I feel like 150 miles of usable range is the minimum as most people are not going to go to 0% or up to 100% on a trip. That gets you about 2 hours of driving on a road trip which is far as my bladder can handle.
I just finished a 1.5 month tour of AZ, NM and TX (3700 miles) in an ID.Buzz 1st Edition RWD, mostly on the highway and all but once never limiting to 70 when speed limits were higher. The one time I did stay below the speed limit was due to range anxiety about getting to my next stop. My overall average in the end was 2.1M/kWH. Prior to the final week where I had more speed limits of 80 than the prior weeks, my long term avg was 2.4M/kWH. My range was consistently over 200 miles per charge, and in areas with lower speed limits I saw between 230 and 255 for a full charge.
Due to the long distances between my focus cities, I often needed to charge to 100% (and did.) Ultimately, I found the Buzz highly impressive for its market segment, and really overall as an EV. IMHO it's truly a home run for VW.
Good video. Keep 'em coming.
Welp… here you are people
200 mi is just dumb for a modern EV.
Try that in cold latitudes and you'll find your range is
VW is doing the one thing I have been baffled by BEVs. I think that vans are a better choice for many people vs SUVs. I hope this is will be just the start of this segment.
I would bet stellantis brings out a town and country.
@ I hope so 🤞
I never really understood 3 row SUVs as it's just a minivan, but with a higher ride height meaning less cargo room. Like a 3 row SUV will never be as good off roading as a 2 row as they're too heavy so I really don't get it. And if you really think you need an off roading car because you occasionally drive on gravel, you don't need it.
I work on the railroad and the yard vans drive 2010 Grand Caravans or 2017 Odysseys around the yards. And we're talking pretty nasty ditches they drive over.
I also hope they keep going on this van theme, VW and others. This one is missing a lot of the amenities that we minivan drivers expect, but it’s a big big step in the right direction.
Totally agree with you.
I hope they keep pushing on this model, this one is a great start but the next version should be amazing.
I love the Buzz, keep the content coming!
Insanely priced, poor range, but I still want one 😂
I really like this car. I did a test ride and almost bought one, but the range is dismal for a car that is perfect for a road trip. We have an ID4 with 34k miles on the clock in two years. We charge at home 99% of the time, and as a daily driver, the ID4 is a great car, but we still have an ICE car for longer trips.
The IDbuzz has even less range than the ID4. Sugarcoating doesn't help; the only thing that will help is a bigger battery or significantly improving the charging infrastructure.
100 percent spot on.
Does your ID4's infotainment system have the same issues as the Buzz? If so, was it was it easy to get accustomed to? Or do you still find it annoying to deal with?
@@chkymnky98 The only thing I know about the Infotainment system is that the IDbuzz has a newer software version, that is it. To be honest, I am not paying a lot of attention to a car's infotainment system. If the Bluetooth connection is flawless and my cell connects to the car when I hop in, that is enough for me. The ID4 did the 34k miles in two years without one problem. We had the usual inspections, two recalls that were fixed during routine maintenance, and one self-inflicted repair.
One positive side effect: we charged almost exclusively at home and our electricity bill only increased by a couple of bucks a month.
I have an ID4 and I use Apple CarPlay so I am not sure what you mean… I haven’t had one problem with my infotainment system. Things have been great
Or...a car maker that knows how to build EVs.
13:15 when a passenger is recognised on the passenger seat there is an option to skip this warning. It's combined with the seating detection.
Super review. Thank you. I can tell I am in the minority, as every single reviewer I can think of hates the two-button window controller, but I LOVE that idea. The reason I love the two-button controller as it keeps me from inadvertently lowering a back window when I wanted to lower the driver's window. This typically happens when lowering the window to pay for tolls and to grab parking tickets. In the case of paying tolls, I typically click to open the window moments before arriving at the toll booth, which means I miss opening my driver's window in time if I inadvertently click the rear window controller by mistake. Having only two-buttons for controlling the windows eliminates this confusion. I may be the only one who likes this feature, but from my perspective, I say "Thank you Volkswagen!".
Especially when the rear windows are unique like these are.
Honestly how many times do you open the rear windows when you are driving? My current car is 14 years old and I don't even know if they roll down:) Actually just kidding but I don't remember ever rolling them down.
I learned that a lot more people are apparently frequent users of the rear windows, than I ever thought. For me, it's mostly a positive because it's easier to find the correct window switch and just a little bit of a hassle in the rare times I have to lower the rear windows. Another possibility is that they *think* they lower it more than they do. Third possibility is they are just jumping on the bandwagon looking for something to complain about. Then again, there is always the first possibility I mentioned, and everyone is out there lowering rear windows all the time.
yes this is probably how it was sold on the powerpoint in Wolfsburg (along with the $0.40 per car it saves in buttons) HOWEVER the problem isn't the 2 switches, but the toggle labelled "REAR". Unlike, for example, a L-R toggle for mirror adjustment, the REAR toggle isn't a physical button, and it is so easy to brush this capacitive area by accident without realizing it while driving, that you have no idea what state it is in before you press the window down button. You have to look at the REAR touch area on the door and see if the word is illuminated, which no one can practically do. I cannot tell you how bad this is to live with for 3 years, literally every time you have to take a toll ticket or talk with someone or get pulled over on the highway, you lower your rear window by accident. VW didn't test this at all before releasing multiple vehicles with this design, and it shows a lack of thoughtfulness and willingness to listen to feedback. How difficult would it be to make the REAR into a button by this point 5 years later from the ID.4? Or to put a little plastic around that REAR button? Or to even put an indicator on the cluttered instrument cluster indicating the state? Or to be a little smarter and have the toggle revert to front control after the driver has finished adjusting the rear window? Trust me, get anything else other than something with this design, it represents the lack of good design with so much else in this car.
@ev_kimchi I've used it for over 3 years and haven't once hit it by mistake. I think there is a timeout after you hit it as well. However, I can see how that would be annoying. I guess it depends on how you rest your arm, seat position and arm length. Some people also touch the capacitive steering wheel buttons when turning the wheel. I haven't had that problem either. They then "resume" cruise control while turning into a parking lot. With all the negative feedback, it seems to have cost them more money than they have saved. A button like the mirrors have but in the forward/back direction would be easier to change.
I'll still buy a Buzz in 2027. Used.
Same
That VW hat is righteous
I'm glad you put all the tests on their own channel.
Decades of awesome concepts, I waited all that time for… ‘totally acceptable’.
smiled the whole time watching this, keep them coming
I love my id buzz pro 23 mod. Range is more than enough for me . 415km range. Winter around 300 . The one time im doing long trips with it is in the summer .
The fact you wrote your range in kilometers shows it's likely not as serious an issue as it is in the US. Just my home state is 310 miles from east to west alone and my daily commute is 90 miles one way or 180 round trip. That's not even that unusual here in the US with many living in rural areas.
Just for applying to my current job required me to go to a training facility 850 miles away. I did that stopping once to fill up for a 13 hour trip. And that was only a few states over. America is huge. The country is nearly the entire size of the European continent and people regularly go on road trips between states.
@Skylancer727 yeah usa is big . Its abit different there i think. I live in Norway and I dont do any long trips . Only in the summer. I drove from Fredrikstad to Tromsø last summer and back. 1800km one way and I had 8 charges each way.
So then you won’t buy an EV, not everyone is in the market for an EV. There are ICE vehicles all over the place
@@jedward2012 and?
More likely 325 kms with ac or Heat. No way 400 KMS
210 miles with ONE person in it. You gotta be kidding me. You KEEP IT.
Slow is good. Drag increases with the square of the velocity (of air moving over the van).
If this was rated for more than 300 miles, it would have been a great vehicle.
Yeah, 300 miles at 70mph should be required by law...
I know, VW blew it with the range.
But that also would have required a larger more expensive battery.
@@bikebudha01 Then majority of EVs would fail to meet this… getting 300 miles at 70mph isn’t as nearly as common as you seem to think
@@pine111 no, they "SHOULD", not they "do"... And it should be easy to make them do it. Build them lighter and more aero. That "some" do, means they 'all can'...
I notice that sometimes you guys make comments that your set speed is affecting others on the road. Ex. Slow pass to keep the speed at 70. What about putting a temp notice on the back stating "vehicle testing, we apologize for the delay"
I love this van, and may get one in the used market one day. The range is fine for the occasional trip, but I think i definitely rather have an EV9. Here on the east coast you don't often get to roadtrip for 200 miles at 70mph. This would be a great suburban family vehicle (Soccer Mom).
There is assisted lane changing, you need to turn it on in settings. Then it will show you small grey arrows on the adaptive screen and when there is nothing next to you, it turns white, which then you can tap the turn signal and keep your hand touching the wheel, and it will change lanes
TLDR 210 miles
I rarely drive 70 mph so these range tests mean nothing to me! Ever considered doing half the test at 70 mph and the other half at 65 mph? Would be beneficial to see the difference for efficiency!
They are expensive, but just wait 10 minutes and the price will drop like a rock,great video OOS,happy holidays
Might be able to get one 65% off in 18 months
@@LongDistanceMotorcycleFans Though that would be tempting, it may not be worth it with the infotainment issues. The "quirks" are deal breakers for me. I'm gonna hold out for the second gen of the Buzz, used. Hopefully by then, the annoying things will be fixed.
@@chkymnky98I actually own one and there is nothing that erks me about the infotainment system. Car is great
You're correct. I think the low mileage is going to affect sales. The minimum should be 300 miles, and anything less is un-exceptable.
@@earth2006disagree. No one needs that in reality. You are a loon
TPMS in VW just counts tire rotations against each other and a calibration factor...every time you change a tire's pressure you need to punch the reset "button" so that it can learn the new calibration over the first few miles.
Several times....
They should put Solar on that long big roof. You can probably get at least 10 miles of range a day from the sun.
Unlikely. The Aptera is designed to get around 30-40 a day with 10 miles per kilowatt and 3m² of space. The buzz has more on top, but also has zero on the front and uses 4 times the energy per mile. So it's likely less than 8 miles a day more likely 5. Not really useful to most people.
@@Skylancer727not really useful but very cool. And for campers it could keep the battery level steady while running climate and accessories for days.
@@nitrobenz1694 not really since the main time you'll be using it as a camper is at night. On a trip you drive during daylight and retire at sundown. Unless you're planning on doing the opposite, but many campgrounds have hours that make that a bit finicky.
@@Skylancer727 I was thinking about multiple days spent at the same site or having the car parked at a trailhead during a backpacking trip. For a one night stay you are correct that it would not help there.
the more seats in the vehicle the fewer miles you’ll get before someone needs to stop for a pee.
Range anxiety is real on the ID.Buzz I would hate to say. VW need to add a range extending generator in that thing that will automatically comes on when the charge is below 10% remaining. I don't think getting stranded on a long trip is considered "fun" even though the van looks fun.
For a city vehicle, this is a fine start. For those of us who live in rural areas, 230 miles probably doesn't cut it. Either VW needs better battery tech or they just need to stuff a bigger battery in. Maybe make some improvements in the motors for efficiency too. Software looks much better though they should improve their software with the Rivian alliance.
Lets say, thats a pretty fair statement. The Buzz is at the moment not a fit for everyone, but for some it might just fit perfectly. Just check your own routes. But basically its with EVs in general. EV's arent the ideal choice for everyone, but for some.
My issue is for a city vehicle do you need this much space/storage cubbies and space etc? It seems like a weird mix to me. I'm sure there are some edge cases where ppl have a bunch of kids to move around town from one sport to another with a bunch of gear where this may be useful. But imo that car will need a 150 kW battery capable of charging 10-80% in 25 minutes to truly be successful in North america. But that'd add another 10k to the price and may just not be in the cards before solid state packaging makes them small enough so maybe not yet. Maybe in 5 years or so. We seem to see about a 10% year over year growth in battery packs.
@ Families might
I really like this VW ev..200 freeway miles is just fine for California..this has 100% character vs the plain Tesla boring EV's..I will dump my model 3 if and when VW EV' can charge at the Tesla superchargers..
What part of California you live in? Drive it up US395 and see how long it takes you to get to Lake Tahoe. Drive out in the desert too.
The TPMS in the VWs is dumb. In my ID4 after I check the pressures, I have to reset the system in the vehicle settings so that it recognizes the new pressures
The MEB platform doesn't have pressure sensors. It uses the ABS sensors to detect wheel rotations. After you set the pressure or get new tires you need to reset the system when you know they are at a good value. A little annoying, but on the plus side you can toss any wheels on there without worrying about pairing TPSM sensors.
No batteries to replace would be nice. But I like having exact psi readings per tire while driving. For example, I got a puncture on a multi-mile two lane bridge with no shoulder while towing a trailer. Got the low tire warning, but was able to monitor the pressure and saw I could make it safely over the bridge. (Astoria-to-Washington bridge)
Saw one yesterday. Much smaller than the original Bus but cool looking non the less.
The styling is spot on. The price is too much. The range is not enough. I would still be interested if they can adjust the price and increase the range. Very happy to see that VW released its bus back into the wild.
Clearly, it's throwback to the old Volkswagen Bus which everybody loved. Mostly because it was extremely affordable and looked cool. When you charge a lot for this one, it kinda loses it's main purpose. It's only for the well-to-do.
Those spaces at the charging station Wellington give me major anxiety of door dings, especially with those massive cars (F150, Hummer etc)
I have the pleasure of also testing this vehicle, but I do believe it is 20K over the price it should have been set at!
With kids you have to make a break after 2 hours of driving anyway, so no issue for road trip at least with NACS. But of course if you have only 2 kids just take a model 3, and a model Y if you have 3 kids.
How do I hang a tire on front of the bus :) ?
Every complains about the price, it is high, but everything is high, prices will not be going down ever 😢
Unless they sell this van under 50 grand, it will be on dealer lots forever. Maybe in the big cities over 70 grand isn't much money but in the heartland it's quite expensive.
I'd say 30k. It's basically a round the town range.
@@Fastm3driver show me a single van on the US market for 30k EV or ICE.
It's made FOR the city with that lousy range.
My local dealer in a wealthy area has 3 or 4 of them already and I haven't seen any on the road. Compared to the Rivian R1S and the new Defender, you couldn't walk two blocks without seeing them on the street. These things are DOA for the price, even the rich people know that it's overpriced.
@@otm646 Kia Carnival $36K, Toyota Sienna $39K, Chrysler $39K
The first trip I took in my Bolt was Denver to Grand Lake and back.
Coming back I got 15m/kWh. :D
Why not use a Silverado ev to charge that thing? I’ve used mine for v2v and v2l several times. Works awesome. Im not surprised some vehicles have issues with the cyber truck given all their issues.
Probably because they don't have one?
200 mile of range will work for me. That’s roughly 3 1/2 hours of highway driving for me. Then a 20 to 30 minute stop for my travel center stop needs.
Also I'm glad there's a lock on the touchscreen when people are driving, your eyes should be *on the road*.
Yes BUT - I borrowed my aunt's Jetta (ice) for an overnight trip a few years ago... Hit the highway, went to program my destination into the Nav and it said "No can do while driving - Pull over to enter destination." Fuuuuck Yooooou!! I will NEVER buy a VW if they choose to impose this kind of over-zealous nanny limitation.
I wish he tried to enter one in the Buzz to see if they still have the same issue.
I also did NOT like the adaptive / follow cruise control, whatever they call it. Maddening.
So what will it do when it's 65° 🤔
My experience with my VW ID3 is that it does closer to its stated EPA [OK, I'm in the UK so it's WLTP for me] than many other vehicles do to theirs. I have absolutely no doubt, if the Buzz test had been done at 65mph, which many people will cruise at, it will do its rated range. At least VWs do one thing pretty well. 😉
To put the VW's efficiency into context; I follow the YT channel of a guy who drives electric trucks in Germany; he drove a route through the mountains with a 30 tonne load, and was getting 2.4 miles per KWh.
And his truck probably had physical buttons on the steering wheel
At much lower speeds, I follow the same YT channel. In Germany, speed limit for trucks is 80 km/h (50 mph) on the motorway and 60 km/h (40 mph) when on non-motorway roads.
It is the definitive master of cool!
So another reviewer had one in 20F weather and the range dived from 80% to 8% in 89 'real-world' miles (not just cruising down the highway).
Amazing what a two tone paint job can do to the looks of a boot box.
The mexican engineer who designed that vehicle did a great job
Nothing to do with the range test but what is with the constant thumping heard in the cab ? Is that the joints in the concrete roadway? What interstate are you on ? Stress testing the suspension and the battery at the same time . Bonus!😊😊😊🇨🇦🇨🇦
Liking these videos. Where I live, the dealers are desperate to sell their stock, and are offering insane discounts on 'delivery mileage' 2024 models. Their pre-negotiation price is around 44k, but some haggling will get you down to sub 40k. Where I live is a large GA airfield, with hundreds of them all lined up waiting for customers. 200 miles is not an issue. The longest road trip to my inlaws is only 140 miles.
Of course "trip to Trevor's in-laws" is the most important usability cum efficiency metric there is.
I would never buy one of these toys . Who needs the anxiety every time you go somewhere for the luxury of having what will be a "Cute" novelty for a few months , Just stupid . Thanks for the honest review
$80k - why? Other note, unfortunately given the state of most EV charging stations I would not suggesting arriving at 2-5% SOC - need to give yourself more buffer to ensure you are able to get to the next EV chraging station.
Hm maybe its because it is legally not allowed (in germany) to run out of fuel on the "Autobahn", as well as not to drive below certain speed as well (i think 80´s km/h or something) so it makes much sense the cutoff is ... when the batterie really "dies" in the software to prevent damage, to have it run above these criterias
Like this better than Gravity
Don’t hate me for saying this, but when my EV lease is up in 2 years, I will only lease a new EV that has over 300 miles at full charge (and hopefully closer to 400 miles).
BMW i4
I wonder what the RWD model would do. Based on the EPA rating, not much.
Compared to the EV9: Both are RWD ~$60K. Both are 3 row.
But the EV9 (long range for 60K) is ~270mi in your 70mph test compared to 215 here. EV9 is 100kwh battery compared to 91 on the buzz. The efficency is better on the EV9 at 2.8mi/kwh compared to 2.5 on the buzz.
The buzz is 195 x 78in. The EV9 is 197 x 78in. Very similar.
I'm sure the buzz has some practicality benefits over the EV9 given that its a van. It makes more use of the length with the flat front compared to a big hood of a SUV. But for road tripping, its just not there.
As a practical family mini-van around town though, its still pretty neat.
And now the upcoming Ioniq 9 and also, the EV9 will have a 110kwh battery.
The buzz has a better cargo capacity for sure.
EV9 isn’t suitable for 6 footers for third row. ID Buzz is as you can scroll back and forth on the third row seat
13:00 would you actually be safer trying to refold and follow a paper map than scrolling a little bit?
The quick answer to the question posed at the start of the video is 'Yes'.
For voltage sag can you just drop the rating down to 28A to keep the voltage up?
Can you make it clear to your team(s) that lower speed efficiency is better if you don't slow down and speed up? That the regen does help, but doesn't fully cancel out the energy used to speed up. If you were going slowly at a steady speed, you would have a greater range than either fast and steady or slow and start/stop driving.
ID Buzzowners, How is the road noise level?
I'll keep asking the same question until an online reviewer answers it, can the ID.Buzz hold a 4*8 sheet flat on the floor. that design parameter pretty much defined the redesign of the Honda Odyssey in 2000 and the Toyota sienna in 2005.
I own an ID.4, my issue is not with the platform, my issue is for the North American market that is frankly table stakes
That's 240×120 cm,yes it can (long wheelbase).
@ms-jl6dl are you accounting for interior panels, seat mounting points? door handles, seatbelt anchors, trims etc. the exterior dimensions are not the issue, it's the payload capabilities that is. even engineering explained had a photomontage with a tape measure just at 48" but did not actually test it. it's a complaint I've had on every id.buzz video I've seen, including the teasters that dropped year ago - still no reviewer has definitively tested it. so I'll keep asking, does a 4*8 fit? because for the American market a multi use family hauler definitely has that capability as a real use consideration. might not be make or break, but it's up there with behind the 3rd row cargo capacity.
At this stage, there should be no EV’s with less than a 300 mile range.
Ok I want it, drop it off🏡❤ Great hypermiling
is it "cheating" by driving through less dense air? 🤔 does the constant elevation change cancel the air density "advantage"? having a gray interior mk4 GTI (bought new in Denver), I certainly hope the VW white interior/steering wheel is easy to keep clean. what will the white look like in the heavy used/sat in areas? After 15 years, my GTIs rear seats looked brand new...but the drivers seat had a "dirt tinge" to it and you could tell when comparing it to the passenger seat... 😎
I hope someday this is offered with a Solid State Battery pack. I think it would get over 400 miles and would be great,
Honestly impressive given that the car is almost as tall as a eacalade of f150. Most minivans are much lower in height.
15:44 say what? I was told that all NA models came with a heat pump???
Shouldn't you test under load.? What's the purpose of having a heated steering wheel, seats, and A/C if you are going to leave it all powered off?
Ok guys...I understand the range test and agree with your results. But I would be interested in seeing how much the range would change if the vehicle had three or four... maybe more people in the van. After all people would buy this to carry more than one person.
I ❤ it
How about a solar panel roof.. hopefully on the 3rd or 4th Gen.. Great video Gentlemen.. Thank you
$72,000 is an ABSOLUTE non- starter. I would at least consider a the diesel, but it is not sold in the US. I previously owned both a Type 2 and a Type 3 vans (in the US).
Where is all the detailed testing on the Macan EV
Perhaps you should get a Kempower portable charger to stick in the back of the truck (40kW DC)
Where would you plug that in?
I jumped around so I may have missed you talking about it, but what is the rhythmic thumping in the audio? It sounds like your driving over the shoulder rumple strips, or have a flat spotted tire.
I will keep my VW Polo 1.4 liter which gets 45mpg. and does 110 mph. 3 minutes to fill the the tank. 80mph in Germany on autobahn is slow.
I have a question as to why you did your test in B mode while you were traveling at highway speeds?… B mode would only be used for city driving or hilly environments… I think you need to redo this test. 🤔
If only it had a 105-110kWh battery. Would have been so good
That is the main limitation. However, it would compromised its superb passanger dimensions. As charging stations continue proliferating it will be an OK road tripper.
this doesn't have a bigger battery because that is the most expensive component in a BEV, and this thing was already going to have to be priced very high. Would you have thought this thing was "so good" if it cost $90k with a 110Kwh battery?
@@ev_kimchi As battery price comes down i imagine the ID buzz will see higher capacity packs in the future.
@@verygoodbrother I'm a bit skeptical of that, VW is a really messed up company these days
@ev_kimchi false, they already upgraded the batteries in their current EV line in Europe. Also true for Skoda and Cupra. Might not be the case for North America but I'm surprised considering the comments on this video
VW still refusing to correctly implement J1772. Just like my 2017 e-Golf. Doh!
I don't own a house or apartment with a charger. The prices for charging are too high to make an electric vehicle economical relative to the convenience of gasoline. Does anybody who knows the EV industry well have an estimate for when public charging will be less expensive per mile than using gasoline?
🤣🤣🤣🤣 it looks like the car from the latest vacation movie, the one with Cristina applegate🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 (NO WAY)!
I like it. I don't like the software. If it doesn't have one pedal driving then that's a negative for me. With supercharger access it would be fine on the highway.
why are you not towing it instead? Knowing how to do that could be a whole segment itself.
Buzz is crying out for Scout's Range Extender. Perfect use case.
Pretty sure it will get it come 2027
This comment doesn't have anything to do about the ID Buzz. But I'm considering on purchasing a 2013 model S 60, with 163k miles. Should I stay away from it? The dealership i work at is selling it for just under $12k
Ford lightning has been out 2 years now, why haven’t they provided more options with route planning??? I can’t add or remove and the copilot can even using the planner bc the vehicle is in motion. What?! Seems like ford isn’t the only company giving users more flexibility.
0:38 I love watching people attempt to park at chargers.
So it’s has a range of 1100 miles?
It's a VW EV... of course it has no range. VAG get's points in the design arena with all their EV's but they really need to step up their game in the battery and range department.
Is that a GM EV steering wheel? Very similar lines all around to the RS EV Trims steering wheel
Also the key fob at 30:38 looks a lot like a Chevy key.... very sus
I could have sworn i saw the Buzz in B for much of the test....i saw the B lite up in yellow assuming thats the gear the Buzz was in. Hope I m wrong
this needed to have a 113kwh battery or an expensive 131kwh battery. If ford can sell the f150 flash for less than 80k with a battery that big, vw can certainly do it
A Volkswagen van lacking road tripping chops seems like a pretty big miss.
Range is far from the only thing that matters during EV roadtripping, charging matters just as much if not more, I would wait to see the 10% challenge on this.
@@pine111 Range this short matters. Especially in the west.
In fairness, the original VW van needed engine maintenance about every 200 miles. So, it's pretty much a wash.
@@pine111 anyone road trip with 6-7 people inclu kids in a minivan and find stopping every 100-150 miles acceptable?
@@davidmenasco5743 They burned oil and were underpowered, but weren't very difficult to maintain.
I would buy it if it had an ICE
GM and Ford should come out 19.2 kw Vehicle to Vehicle charging since they offer 19.2 kw onboard AC charging. Tesla and all manufacturers should have 19.2 kw DC V to V and V to G. Tesla should have made the nema 14-50 plug able to handle 50 amp draw for 20 to 30 minutes minimum. All 120 volt plugs on vehicles should be nema 5-20 plugs and NOT the NEMA 5-15 / 15 amp plugs like Rivian is using. A nema 5-20 plug would be great for power backup and boondocking needs.
You know what's funny is they still show the idiot light for your tires? Why doesn't it come up on the screen showing you which tire is losing air?
My issue is this isn't available in 8-9 passenger size. I'll wait for a real minivan.