Production VW ID. Buggy launch still possible, hints CEO

The VW ID. Buggy that debuted at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show was Volkswagen’s second recreational ID. model following the ID. Buzz. While the electric bus hits the European markets this year, we predict that the all-electric VW dune buggy will be ready for customer deliveries later this decade.

Video Source: YouTube/Engadget

Background

Volkswagen planned to bring the VW ID. Buggy to the market by outsourcing production to e.GO Mobile. However, the German start-up soon found itself facing bankruptcy, and the company canceled plans. Manufacturing in-house wasn’t feasible, with a Volkswagen official saying that the company “can only do large-scale production,” auto motor und sport reported in July 2020. Ralf Brandstätter, CEO, Volkswagen, explicitly ruled out the launch, saying that the company “won’t do this car,” Autocar reported in December 2020.

New developments

Fast-forward to 2021, and the Aachen-based electric vehicle startup makes a remarkable transformation to the stage of resuming production, making 1,000 vehicles, and planning for the future as Next.e.GO Mobile. It announced in July 2021 that it will build a new micro-car factory with an annual production capacity of up to 30,000 units in Lovech, Bulgaria. The company plans to begin production here in Q1 2024.

Over at Wolfsburg, where change is a constant, Volkswagen could have reconsidered the ID. Buggy project, as Brandstätter told Autoblog in September 2021 that launching a production VW ID. Buggy is “still in discussion.”

A comment from Volkswagen Group CEO Dr. Herbert Diess in the last week of 2021 reaffirmed that the VW ID. Buggy project is certainly on the minds of the VW management. Dr. Diess held a Q&A session with Weibo users in China, in which one user asked how the company responds to so many customer expectations, like launching an electric Beetle, and new in-car features, for instance. Answering the question, Dr. Diess said:

I’m really excited about another product which is not as famous in China, which is the (ID.) BUZZ. And after launching this, we have probably better experience how we can bring our this emotional, traditional world of Volkswagen into the EV sector. And then it would be easy to also do other emotional (models). We have been thinking about Beetle, yes. We have been thinking about Dune buggies, or some other emotional cars in our history. That would be possible, and I would look forward to suggestions from China what we should do. You know, it can be done. If we have big enough followership, we would be also prepared to do something special for China.

Dr. Herbert Diess, CEO, Volkswagen Group

On the ID. Buggy concept

The VW ID. Buggy concept sits on the RWD MEB platform. It’s similar in most dimensions to the MEB short-based VW ID. Life concept that will lead to the ID.2 in 2025. Both concepts have an identical wheelbase of 2,650 mm. Perhaps its better for Volkswagen to launch the production vehicle on this platform, due to the short lead time and cost, provided it allows for AWD with an additional motor in the rear. Volkswagen’s SSP platform will become the ‘super platform’ of the entire VW group towards the end of the decade, and that could be another feasible option for the production VW dune buggy.

Aspect	VW ID. Buggy Specification
Length	4,063 mm (160 in)
Width	1,890 mm (74.4 in)
Height	1,463 mm (57.6 in)
Wheelbase	2,650 mm (104.3 in)
Ground Clearance	240 mm (9.4 in)
Tires	255/55 R18 (front) and 285/60 R18 (rear)
Seats	Two
Platform	MEB
Drivetrain Layout	RWD (AWD optional)
Max. Power	201 hp
Max. Torque	228 lb-ft
Battery Pack	62 kWh lithium-ion
0-62 mph Acceleration Time	7.2 seconds
Top Speed	99 mph
Range (Volkswagen-est. WLTP)	155 miles

We’ll update the page when we know more about the VW ID. Buggy.

Featured Image Source: Volkswagen Group