ID. Buzz

Make
Volkswagen
Segment
Van

Volkswagen is kicking its EV future into high gear announcing that it will soon be launching an entry-level, affordable EV for the masses. In America, we already have the Volkswagen ID.4, and soon, we'll have our own version of the ID.Buzz electric bus, with more space and power than the version revealed for Europe. In the meantime, the bus is now doing the rounds as part of a collaboration with the new Star Wars series, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Last week, we saw the beginning of this in a sweet little TV spot to promote both the TV series and the bus. Now, the collaboration is reaching a new level with two special editions.

To be clear, these special editions are show cars that will not be making it to production. The first is called the Light Side Edition and the second the Dark Side Edition, and both "embody the Light and Dark side with eye-catching looks designed to delight and thrill."

The cars were presented at the premiere of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a surprise and represent the first time that Volkswagen and Lucasfilm designers have worked together. As you can see, the design changes are mostly evidenced by vinyl appliques, with the white model inspired by the character of Obi-Wan and the black one inspired by that of Darth Vader.

The color of the lower section of the Light Side Edition - which is based on the passenger version of the bus - is beige as a nod to the hue of Obi-Wan's tunic, while the chrome on the upper sections calls to mind the spaceships and droids of the Star Wars universe. The blue accent references the color of Obi-Wan's lightsaber, while blue tinting, underglow lighting, and headlight film add more cool accents. The logo of the Rebel Alliance can be found on the center caps of the customized 21-inch wheels and the side windows, while the rear badge is recreated in a script that is also derived from the Star Wars universe.

The Dark Side Edition is contrastingly based on the ID.Buzz Cargo and mixes shades of red and black to embody the Dark Side of the Force. The lower half of this vehicle has a shiny effect, while the upper section is finished in matte black. The side lines, headlights, light strips, and windows are now red and obviously inspired by Darth Vader's lightsaber color. Underglow lighting and the logo of the Empire finish the transformation.

"it's about bringing together two icons," says Volkswagen designer Jozef Kaban (pictured at the outset). "Obi-Wan Kenobi sees the return of iconic characters from Star Wars and is sure to connect generations worldwide - as will the VW Bus, whose mythology will enter the new era of electromobility with the ID.Buzz."

Obi-Wan Kenobi is available on Disney+ from today, May 27.