Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo test: the desirable utility vehicle

All you have to do is point to a very busy artery to make the observation: the parade of utility vans is absolutely monotonous. We will not go so far as to say that they all look alike, but there is still not one to distinguish itself from the others. With the new Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo, things are changing. Unprecedented look, streamlined bodywork, two-tone paint… this is a van that will appeal to passers-by and professionals looking for a differentiating model.

Derived from van ID. Buzz reserved for individuals, this Cargo model with its sheet metal body gives a few stylistic glances to the famous Combi, which also had a busy career as a utility vehicle. With its length of 4.71 m, the Cargo is a notch below the reference Transporter T6.1, which measures 4.90 m. Belonging to the ID. family, this model is 100% electric and will not experience thermal or hybrid derivatives. It is therefore not the replacement for the current T6.1. For the latter, we have to wait for the T7 in 2023-2024, the result of the collaboration between Volkswagen and Ford.

Autonomy and capacity ID. Buzz Cargo

The Cargo is equipped with a useful 77 kWh battery, which provides it with mixed WLTP autonomy of 416 km. For all the professionals who gravitate in daisy around their company, the use of electricity is therefore not a constraint. Recharging in 11 kW makes it possible to recover 100% of the battery in 7 h 30 on a suitable terminal. On the fast charging side, the power peaks at 170 kW, a high value for a utility and which allows, in theory, the passage from 5 to 80% of battery in 30 minutes.

The brake on the use of an electric utility is often its payload since it is indexed to the total mass of the vehicle, weighed down by the weight of the batteries (493 kg for the Volkswagen). The ID. Buzz Cargo does not escape this pitfall and advances worth 632 kg only, compared to the 867 kg that a T6.1 can swallow in its basic version. Electricity imposes choices.

Driving

Our trial of the ID. Buzz in its family van version had highlighted the silence of operation (not a surprise) and serenity in driving. We find this with the Cargo, but the latter does better than its passenger car counterpart in terms of performance while sharing the same 204 hp electric motor installed on the rear axle. If the mass is close between the two versions, the Cargo appears more alert in the raises and never seems under motorized. Our test was carried out with two people on board, and we will also have to judge with a heavy load. But the immediate torque of the electric is really pleasant.

There is also a good level of comfort on board this Cargo thanks to the welcoming seats and considerate suspensions. The behavior is just as seductive. Thanks to the chassis that does not pitch at the first turn! With its batteries housed in the floor and its low center of gravity, the ID. Buzz Cargo is even quite good at approaching the roundabouts that mark out the activity zones. The highlight is the very short turning circle (11.1 m), which increases the maneuverability in the city in conjunction with the soft-to-handle steering.

To preserve the battery and autonomy a little, you can activate mode B, but the selection palette is not very practical to operate. Overall, it is also the entire driving position that lacks ease of use. In a utility vehicle, we like to be pragmatic because the passenger compartment is a working tool. However, on this point, Volkswagen has gone a little astray with essentially digital ergonomics and not always easy to understand. During our short essentially peri-urban test gallop, our consumption stabilized at around 20 kWh/100 km.

On board

Volkswagen ID price. Buzz Cargo

Volkswagen’s electric utility is available in a single version at a price of €47,990 excluding tax. The ecological bonus of €5,000 for companies eases the pain a little, but the bill remains high compared to the price of a Transporter 6.1 Van (from €33,840 excluding VAT in diesel). The rather sparse standard equipment of the Cargo also highlights its high price. Basically, the ID. Buzz Cargo is all white with a gray bumper and plastic wheel covers. The charm will necessarily act less. For your vehicle to look like the model photographed, you will have to add the two-tone paint at €1,520 (only one choice in blue with a white roof), the 20-inch alloy wheels at €2,660 and the second sliding door on the left side at €460 €. We’ll stop there, because the list of options is as long as a day without bread (read below).

Competition

The electric van market is beginning to expand. The Stellantis group vans are already in place and available in several lengths, while the ID. Buzz is content for the time being with a single format. Unsurprisingly, the Citroën ë-Jumpy, Peugeot e-Expert, Fiat E-Scudo and Opel Vivaro-e are not lace on the price side. For example, the Peugeot e-Expert size M with 75 kWh battery, comparable to the ID. Buzz, is billed €45,000 excluding VAT.

The equipment of the Peugeot is a little less lean than that of the Volkswagen, but its electrical architecture is also less advanced: the chargers are less powerful (7.4 kW AC in series and 100 kW DC for the fast terminals), the autonomy WLTP is content with 330 km, and the interface suitable for electrical use is absentee subscribers.

Ford and Renault are lagging behind in this niche. The Ford E-Transit Custom, whose specifications are not yet known, will arrive at the end of 2023. The Renault Trafic E-Tech will precede it by a few months, but the Frenchman is keeping a low profile in terms of its technical data sheet with its 52 kWh battery. , its autonomy of 240 km and its power of 120 hp. The price, still unknown, may be more attractive than the competition.

Volkswagen ID test report. Buzz Cargo

A desirable utility is not trivial. This is the success of this ID. Buzz Cargo. It will take a thick wallet to configure the right version, but the investment can be seen as a means of communication for the company. Comfort and driving pleasure superior to those of a diesel utility also tip the scales in favor of this Cargo. Certainly its electric propulsion cannot be suitable for all uses, but this van has no competitor in terms of visual appeal, apart from the initiative of the Italian craftsman Caselani who dresses the Citroën Jumpy.

WE love

• A utility that has a mouth!
• Driving is fun
• Comfort and space in a compact size

We regret

• The price and standard equipment
• The ergonomics of the driving position
• The payload a bit fair depending on the activity
  

VW ID data sheet. Buzz Cargo

Prices and equipment VW ID. Buzz Cargo

• VW ID Buzz Cargo: €47,990 before tax before €5,000 bonus

Meter on 5.3 inch screen. 10 inch touch screen. Apple CarPlay. Android Auto. DAB+ radio. Keyless start. 4 USB-C sockets. Height-adjustable driver’s seat. Double seat for front passenger. Interior partition. Wooden floor in load compartment. Sliding door on the right. Trunk hatch. LED strip between the two front headlights. 18-inch steel rims with plastic hubcaps. Bumpers and mirror caps in gray plastic. Mode 3/Type 2 charging cable.

Options
Metallic paint: €870
Two-tone paint: €1,520
Bumpers in the color of the vehicle: €110
19-inch/20-inch alloy wheels: €2,200/€2,660
GPS Navigation: €675
Reversing camera: €290
Cruise control with Stop & Go: €290
Sliding door on the left: 460 €
Front seat armrests: €90
Removable console ID. Buzz Box: €155
Lashing rail on bulkhead/side wall: €48/€100
Lashing rail and bags hung on the side wall: €350