The Volkswagen Type 2 bus stops next to the ID.buzzing
CNBC Money | Sydney Boyo | Andrew Evers
As many car fans know, the “bus” is ingrained in American culture and has evolved into a symbol of protest since the 1960s.
“This is an unpopular war. There are conflicting ideas about what the American dream is,” said Damon Ristow, director and producer of the documentary “Bus.” “The culture seizes on these vehicles.”
As the counterculture spread across the states, the bus aligned itself with antiwar protesters and hippies, and was even used by civil rights activists to transport segregated Southern schoolchildren.
From 1950 to 2003, four generations of Type 2 passenger cars were sold in the U.S., with total deliveries approaching 1 million, according to Volkswagen. The last generation imported into the US was the T4 “Eurovan” model.
“After the Eurovan, the minivan market is somewhat on the decline,” said Jeffrey Lear, product manager for electric vehicles at Volkswagen of America. “There’s a lot of baggage in the U.S. van market. Buying a van brings a lot of feelings.”
Since its inception, Volkswagen has delivered nearly 19 million Model 2 passenger cars worldwide, including the T5 to T7 valets, which are still under development in Europe, according to the company. Bring ID. Buzz, Volkswagen wants to change that narrative.
“This is our modern interpretation of the bus of the future,” Lear said. “We would never call it a van or a minivan from Volkswagen of America. For us, it’s a new segment. It’s the bus segment.”
“For more than 20 years, a lot of people have been very excited about this day,” Ristow said. “It’s kind of like a homecoming party.”
The North American model will have three rows, up to seven seats and a 91 kWh battery, but VW hasn’t released any details about range or pricing. However, it says its range is comparable to the ID4, which has a maximum range of 275 miles per charge.
Volkswagen ID. The road was buzzing.
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“It’s bigger than our ID4,” Lear said. “And since it’s a bigger battery, you might think it’s going to be more. But when you look at this thing, you realize it’s bigger than the ID4 and it’s much less aerodynamic .So, I think you might expect a hair under that figure,” he said.
In the past, the bus has been produced all over the world, from Volkswagen’s native Germany to South Africa and Australia.
VW is currently assembling the electric ID.4 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but told CNBC it has no plans to expand production to the ID Buzz even with the Biden administration’s EV incentives.
“At the moment, we plan to keep it in Europe,” Lear said.
Production will take place at Volkswagen’s Hannover plant in Germany and will be exported globally. Pre-orders for the model have begun in Europe, with North American versions expected to arrive at dealerships in 2024.
watch the video Learn more about the evolution of the Volkswagen bus and its electric future.
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