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You many have noticed that several of Volkswagen’s new cars and SUVs have the obscure prefix of ID. The ID.4 SUV and the ID.3 and the ID.Buzz do have one thing in common. These are all Volkswagen’s new electric models. But ID. doesn’t stand for “identification” or simply the opposite of an “ego,” but instead something else.

What does Volkswagen’s ID. stand for?

2023 ID.4 logo
VW ID.4 SUV | Volkswagen

According to Volkswagen, “ID. stands for intelligent design, identity and visionary technologies. In this process, ID. is not an abbreviation for a certain term, but rather symbolically represents the various properties united in these vehicles.” But, every ID. vehicle has several things in common VW said. Each will have automated driving assistance, zero emissions, over-the-air updates, and personalized networking.

All ID models are built on the MEB, or Modular Electric Drive Kit. The MEB is VW’s all electric, scalable, vehicle platform for small coupes and SUVs.

The numbers for ID. vehicles mean different things

2020 VW
2020 VW ID.3 | VW

In Volkswagen’s case, most ID. vehicles have a number attached. The ID.3, the first ID. vehicle released, VW called the 3 because it’s the third important vehicle the manufacturer has released. The first was the Beatle. The second, the Golf. The third, the ID.3. The new ID.R is, of course, the race car.

The 4 in ID.4 means that it’s an electric SUV, and all even-numbered vehicles will be SUVs. But, the numbers are bit confusing: the new ID.5 sedan was released earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The ID.Buzz is the new throwback-styled minivan from VW. The upcoming 2024 ID.7 is also a sedan, while the ID.8 should come as a large SUV.  

What is the VW ID.4?

The second ID. vehicle, the ID.4, is VW’s new all-electric SUV. The SUV was VWs most anticipated model as it slots into the uber-popular compact SUV space. It starts at about $40,000 and has ample room and comfort for five. It has just 201 horsepower in the standard version, and a range of 275 miles.

The performance version, the Pro model, has an extra motor on the front wheels that adds all-wheel drive. It also beefs up the ID.4 to 295 horsepower. However, its range drops to 208 miles. The ID.4 GTX 4 Motion is even faster with more power. Because the ID.4 is produced in the U.S., it’s available for the $7,500 federal tax credit.

What is the ID.Buzz?

A green and white 2024 Volkswagen ID.Buzz electric minibus is driving on the road.
The 2024 Volkswagen ID.Buzz | Volkswagen

The new ID.Buzz van commemorates the beloved VW Type 2 Microbus, but it reimagines it as an electric vehicle. It shares the MEB platform with the ID.4, with 201 horsepower but it has 260 miles of range. It will come as a similar dual-motor configuration that has 295 horsepower as well. The ID.Buzz should arrive in 2024 in the U.S. for about $40,000.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.