The electric Volkswagen Microbus will arrive to the U.S. market in 2023, Volkswagen of America CEO Scott Keogh said in a recent interview with Automotive News.
Based on the VW ID Buzz concept first shown in 2017, the electric Microbus was originally reported as slated to arrive in 2022. Turns out it still will launch in Germany in 2022, but given the way VW typically staggers its European and U.S. launches, that might mean an early 2023 arrival here.
The Microbus will be built at a VW commercial-vehicle factory in Hanover, Germany, alongside an upcoming commercial electric van. VW needs more time to retool that factory for EV production, hence the delay, according to Automotive News.
Volkswagen ID Buzz Concept
VW is already building the ID.3 hatchback and ID.4 crossover, based on the same MEB platform as the electric Microbus, but at a separate factory in Zwickau, Germany.
After hinting at a revived Microbus, VW debuted the ID Buzz concept (which Green Car Reports later drove) at the 2017 Detroit auto show, and confirmed it for production shortly after that.
In addition to a passenger van, VW offered the original Microbus as a cargo van. So the automaker duly unveiled the ID Cargo Buzz concept in 2018, confirming that version for production as well. At the time, VW said the Cargo Buzz would also go on sale in 2022, so it may pushed back to the same 2023 timeframe as the passenger version.
The Cargo Buzz featured a solar roof that could add up to 9.3 miles of driving, according to VW. That seems like it would be useful for camper-van conversions—something the original Microbus was known for.
View originat article at: “”https://www.greencarreports.com//news/1130963_electric-vw-microbus-revival-will-arrive-in-us-in-2023
