Reeling in the gears as Volkswagen go back to the future with the all-new electric ID.Buzz

Volkswagen went ‘reeling in the gears’ last week in Copenhagen with the international launch of its much-anticipated all-electric ID.Buzz Microbus.

A long time in the making, the German brand has finally delivered on its promise to produce a modern version of its iconic people carrier that is still one of the most sought-after vans around the world to this day.

First made famous during the ‘hippy’ era in the 1960s, the Type 2 (T2) Microbus was the vehicle of choice for Woodstock revellers – long before a generation of Californian surfers turned it into the must-have motor along the Pacific highway.

And, if the reaction we got from the general public driving it around the Danish capital last week is anything to go by, this new take on the original T2 bus is going to attract hipsters both young and old.

Everywhere we stopped during our international test-drive we had many admirers of all different ages quizzing us about the new model that we can only say is a ‘deadly Buzz’.

On the outside, the all-new ID.Buzz is like nothing you have seen before.

Unlike most brands that just bang an electric motor into one of its panel vans, Volkswagen has reinvented the wheel in terms of design of the ID.Buzz, while still retaining some of the classic design cues from the T2 Microbus that was still rolling off production lines in Brazil up until about 10 years ago.

Up front, the ID.Buzz still dons the large VW badge. However, the iconic circular headlights have been replaced by slim and modern LEDs similar to those found in the ID.3/4. The slim lateral bar between them is also finished as an LED strip.

Around the back, the LED tail lights of the ID.Buzz are connected to one another by an end-to-end light strip. The ID.Buzz will also be offered with the ‘IQ.LIGHT – LED matrix headlights’ as an option.

Although available in two-tone colour, as in the case of the original model, the top paint job is strictly only available in white – at the moment anyway. On the inside, the ID.Buzz is extremely spacious for all five passengers.

Strangely enough, VW has launched the five-seat MPV first, although there will be a seven-seat version coming down the line – and possibly even a campervan version. Not having the third row of seats means the boot space on offer is absolutely enormous – 1,121 litres, to be exact, and there’s also a removable floor that is very useful for storing items such as charging cables.

Both sides of the ID.Buzz get sliding doors, which makes getting in and out a doddle for the kids.

On the road, the new ID.Buzz is an absolute joy to drive. Not for one moment did I think I was actually behind the wheel of a van. Power in the ID.Buzz comes in the shape of a 77kWh battery and 150kW (204bhp) electric motor that sends the power to the rear wheels. The ID.Buzz offers fast DC charging of the 77kWh battery and for just over 30 minutes you should nearly get up to 80 per cent charge. There is also the standard AC charging that should see the battery topped up in less than eight hours.

On the range front, Volkswagen say you will get just over 400km on a full charge. However, we will have to wait for a week-long test drive to see how accurate that claim is.

Irish buyers will be offered the choice of four trim levels – Life, Family, Tech and Max.

Base-model Life cars start at £67,190 and come pretty generously equipped.

You get LED headlights as standard, along with a heated windscreen, a 10-inch touch-screen and wireless charging for you phone.

All ID.Buzz models also get a digital driver’s display, similar to that of the Volkswagen ID.4.

Upgrade to the ID. Buzz Tech and you get loads more gadgets such as a larger 12-inch touchscreen, rear-view camera and an electrically operated boot. Whatever model you choose the, ID.Buzz is exactly what it says on the tin – the Buzz.