this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2024
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Electric Vehicles

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The Volkswagen ID. Buzz will start at $59,995 (arstechnica.com)
submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I don't agree with this article. 60k for this is way too much. Ev makers really need to work on pricing.

If it feels like many years since you first saw Volkswagen's retro electric microbus, the ID. Buzz, you're not wrong. It's surprisingly aptly named; I can't think of another car during the past decade that has aroused so much interest among people who don't usually care about four-wheeled transport. Nearly eight years after the concept made its debut, the Buzz is on sale in Europe and has been for a year. Now it's time for America to get its turn, with deliveries starting later this year.

We drove the Euro-spec Buzz almost two years ago, but it's fair to say the version that's coming to the US is a better proposition. The Buzz we drove had a shorter wheelbase, a smaller-capacity battery, and seats only for five, and if you sat in the back, there was no ventilation, and the windows couldn't be opened.

The US market will only receive the longer-wheelbase Buzz, which adds about 10 inches (250 mm) between the axles. This adds room for a third row of seats, making it a proper seven-seater. It should be a bit more humane sitting in the back, as there are air vents—we're waiting to drive it to find out if any windows open back there.

The three-row Buzz also carries a bigger (91 kWh) battery pack, but there's no getting around that retro shape's big bluff frontal area, and the EPA range estimate for the rear-wheel drive Buzz is just 234 miles (377 km), a number we're sure will disappoint many who've been patiently waiting for the electric minibus. All-wheel drive drops the range by 3 miles (5 km).

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 months ago (4 children)

A van would be a road trip vehicle, not a city driver. I don't understand why the range is so short. If this was a 350+ mile van, with an 800v battery that supported the 200+Kw NACS tesla charge plug, I would probably buy it. Even with it being as expensive as it is.

That being said, it would be great if it could hit all those numbers and still be less than $40k. It would probably sell like hotcakes with those specs.

Of course there's the other complaints too, like too much tech in the dashboard, not enough buttons. In the end, it's too much sizzle, not enough steak.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

Having a range of 350 miles would require a battery north of 150 kwh. This would bring new challenges, as the ID Buzz can only carry about 500kg now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

A van with three rows of seats would be a family vehicle and the majority of buyers wont need more range than what it offers except for a couple of times a year where they could simply rent a gas van instead of having to pay extra for an even bigger battery that they pretty much never need.

These batteries don't appear out of thin air, they require limited resources just like petrol is. People should start being realistic in regards to their actual range needs and the various options they have to cover long distances when needed.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Great point, I should expect that when I pay $60,000+ for a vehicle, I'll need to rent a different vehicle for when I want to go somewhere.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Hah this made me actually laugh thanks

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

If it's a semi luxury EV that you're buying? Yeah.

Would you complain that your 200k Bentley can't tow your boat as well?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Of course there’s the other complaints too, like too much tech in the dashboard, not enough buttons.

My guess is that more buttons actually increases costs. Safety laws require a screen for a backup camera, so the screen is going to be there anyway. Adding buttons means many more SKUs to keep as well as costs for assembly. I prefer buttons for many functions, but for a value play, touchscreen controls likely make the vehicle cheaper to manufacture and cheaper to sell.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

It's the new release now, fix later imo. It's easier to worm on your dash software if you don't have to collaborate with engineers about what buttons there are and where they're placed. Just a screen, complete free for all. Buttons take effort.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Saftey laws are about to require automatic emergency braking for vehicles and pedestrians as well, which will require additional sensors and compute on even the lowest tech cars.

The days of tech less cars is long gone.