Volkswagen has officially named June 2nd the first-ever International Volkswagen Bus Day, being recognized by the National Day Calendar. To commemorate this day, the company will debut the three-row, US version of the ID. Buzz at an all-out VW bus celebration in Huntington Beach, California, bringing together enthusiasts and lovers of the iconic vehicle and celebrating the bus's electric future. Hopefully, this means the company will bring one of their new Renndienst vans along, too.
"Whether you call them Buses, Bullis or Kombis, the legacy Type 2s have left on modern culture is unmatched," said Cameron Batten, Chief Communications Officer, Volkswagen Group of America. "As we continue to introduce the T2's 21st Century electric successor, the ID. Buzz, we're thrilled to create this annual day of celebration for Volkswagen bus fans and enthusiasts everywhere."
As the event will be the global debut, there will be a lot going on, from new product showcases and live streams to a Type 2 owners' car show and then the world premiere of the ID. Buzz. Speaking of its debut before, we're not expecting the aesthetics to change much from the two-row version. The one big inclusion will be a two-motor AWD option that should be good for about 310 hp. Once debuted, the model will go on sale in 2024.
Once on sale here, we imagine the quirky styling and accessible and easy-to-live-with design will help sales greatly, as there's nothing else quite like it on the market. We also know the company is planning a slightly more powerful model called the ID. Buzz GTX, but how much more power it will come with is yet to be seen.
The company recently unveiled the GTX version of the ID.7 sedan producing 355 hp; an ID. Buzz GTX should produce something similar. Pricing is still up in the air, though we expect it to land somewhere around $50,000. The model costs nearly $70,000 in Europe, but that's after an 18-20% VAT tax that won't be applied here.
Unfortunately, we don't know how much the extended wheelbase will add to production costs. What we do know is under the current rules, the vehicle won't qualify for any of the $7,500 US Federal Tax credit since it's going to be made in Germany. The company hasn't ruled out US production yet, especially after all of the interest it's received from US customers, so maybe there could be more price relief in the future.