Volkswagen has a hot EV it plans on launching with the id. Buzz, as long as it doesn’t squander the opportunity. But since revealing the concept at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, and finally debuting it in Europe this year, it has many excuses why the U.S. is seeing more id. Buzz delays with deliveries not happening before 2025. It’s a cat-and-mouse exercise going on since 2001, and one which we should be more than tired of now. 

Why can you buy an id. Buzz EV in Europe, but not in the U.S.?

So now we have VW executives offering reasons (or excuses, take your pick) for the U.S. continuing to see id. Buzz delays. With the unveiling last week of the U.S. id. Buzz, we find that deliveries won’t happen for at least a year. This comes as VW enters the second year of European production. 

President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America Pablo Di Si was asked about these latest delays by Green Car Reports. He told them it has to do with the three-row version taking longer to develop than the two-row version. The two-row is what’s selling in Europe. So then, why not just sell the two-row, at least initially, here? For that, we don’t have an answer.

Why isn’t VW selling the two-row id. Buzz here?

OK, then, why does VW need to sell a three-row (and three-row only) version here? It’s because focus groups here clearly favored the three-row, Di Di says. Though the two-row looks better and lacks the extra heft, VW says it wouldn’t sell well here. So even though the id. Buzz is based on the proportions of the original Type 2 Microbus, the cigar-like three-row is better.  

Originally, the blame for delays was because of the id. Buzz’s unique proportions. The short overhangs and layout of the body and mechanicals of a gas-power driveline didn’t fit. That seems dubious, but that is why things didn’t kick into gear until EVs started showing up. 

How else is the U.S. id. Buzz different from the European version?

But from that delay, we’re now waiting far longer than Europe thanks to American focus groups. They indicated only the three-row was of interest to them. So the platform got a stretch of almost a foot to accommodate a bigger and bulkier 91 kWh battery. The two-row gets an 82 kWh battery. A larger motor, or two depending on which options one chooses, gives the id. Buzz either 282 hp or 330 hp.

Other reasons like U.S.-spec lighting changes along with changes needed for the infotainment system. Though it uses the same electronics as the ID.4, many small changes were necessary for America. Then there were software changes to allow VW to make over-the-air updates. 

Will the id. Buzz software be better than VW’s other EVs?

The software changes will first go into the ID.7, just to make sure everything is right with the id. Buzz. But that will take even longer to determine. So taken as a whole, development is still underway, with VW setting its sights on later in 2024, unless there are more delays. 

If that date is accomplished, it will have been a nine-year journey from its 2017 debut until production, but not deliveries, of the EV van. With the initial problems VW had with the electronics of the all-electric ID.3 and ID.4, and a nine-year development time for the id. Buzz, it seems like something very wrong is happening with the walls of Volkswagen. We hope it gets fixed someday.