Electric VW Kombi gets a charging version with a smaller battery and longer autonomy; understand the ‘miracle’

Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle division has updated the electric Kombi with more autonomy, more power, a 240 V outlet in the cargo compartment and a lower entry price. In the UK, where the changes were announced, the entry-level version of the ID.Buzz Cargo was still £5,655 cheaper than the previous one.

The main mechanical change is the replacement of the 59 kWh set for a 58 kWh battery. Despite the slightly lower nominal capacity, the manufacturer claims that the new cell chemistry has improved energy efficiency: the range for the WLTP cycle has risen to 351 km, an increase of 27 km compared to the previous configuration. The electric motor also went from 170 hp to 190 hp, which yields firmer restarts with the vehicle loaded.

A socket in the cargo compartment

The novelty with the greatest practical effect is the arrival of vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology to the entire ID. Buzz Cargo line. The system delivers 2.0 kW of continuous power and peaks of up to 3.6 kW through a 16 A 240 V three-pin socket installed in the load area.

In practice, the van becomes a mobile power source for power tools, lighting, notebooks and small appliances , which dispenses with the generator in external services. It is a resource aimed at service providers, field technicians and event operators, precisely the public that sustains the light utility segment.

The digital part has also changed. The utility received ID. Software 6.0, which adds an application store to the multimedia system, with streaming, charging and parking services installable directly through the center. The Connected Travel Assist assistant now uses more online data and now identifies traffic lights, reducing speed to a stop when it detects a red light. According to Dale Piper, product manager at ID. Buzz in Volkswagen’s commercial division, the package was calibrated to expand what the customer can do throughout the workday.

Lower price and incentive from the British government

The ID. Buzz Cargo 58 kWh starts at £29,995 before tax in the UK. All units with this battery fall under the Plug-in Van Grant, a British government program that deducts another £5,000 from the purchase price for eligible customers. The automaker also offers corporate lease plans starting at £239 per month.

None of this is likely to reach Brazil in the short term. Volkswagen has never put the ID. Buzz on sale in the country: the 70 units imported in 2023, all in passenger configuration, are offered only by subscription, in the Sign & Drive program. The cargo version, which is the one updated now, is not part of the Brazilian operation.