You’ve probably heard the buzz (pun intended) about the new VW Electric Campervan. It’s called the VW ID Buzz (pronounced I.D. Bus), and the marketing is being pushed hard.
So, what is the buzz around the VW ID Buzz all about? And more importantly, how much is a pristine VW Electric Campervan going to cost me on the forecourt?
No one was actually sure that VW was going to offer the ID Buzz as a Campervan, until an eagle eyed reporter spotted this comment in an official VW Press release relating to Electric Vehicles:
Buried deep inside a European press release, camouflaged under the headline, “Electrification of more European plants,” was this little snippet: “Another vehicle derivative, the ID. California, has likewise been approved for the (Hanover, Germany) site.” Source: Autoweek.com
The UK RRP if the new VW Electric Campervan is being advertised at just over £55,000, which to be fair is more than reasonable for a Campervan of this size and spec’, and for an electric vehicle, but what are we getting for our money, and is it worth the investment?
In the next few short paragraphs I’ll share with you what I have been able to unearth so far in my research on the VW ID Buzz.
How Far Can The New VW Electric Campervan Go On A Single Charge?
At the time of writing this, there aren’t any VW Electric Campervans zipping around out roads. At least I haven’t seen one yet, although I am actually dying to see one. So, there aren’t any real life figures on hand for me to share.
The manufacturers, VW are giving out a figure of 250 miles for a single charge of it’s 77 kW battery. 250 miles is an acceptable figure, but it a lot less than most Campervans that run on traditional fuels can go on a single tank of fuel.
However, as we are dealing with new the new technology of Electric Vehicles here, I suppose we have to cut the manufacturers some slack.
Even though the new Electric Campervan isn’t being sold yet, there is literature stating that there is a larger 111 kW Battery upgrade to the existing 77 kW battery that will soon be available. This upgrade will extend the VW ID Buzz’ range from a single battery charge to even further, estimates are for around 340 miles on a full charge, which is a lot more comforting.
How Long Does The VW Electric Campervan Battery Take To Fully Recharge?
From VW’s own literature, a full charge of the VW ID Buzz will take around 6 hours! I was very surprised when I read that, as it seems very impractical if you are on a long drive.
However, further down in the same bit of literature it states that you can charge the VW Electric Campervan’s Battery from 5% to 80% in just 30 minutes, that is if you use the Rapid Charge setting on the Charging Point, which is far better, but obviously 80% charge isn’t going to get you another 250 miles, it’s going to get you under 200, so you are going to have to plan your trips around recharges a bit more than I had expected.
How Much Does It Cost To Recharge The New VW Electric Campervan’s Battery?
Interesting question, and one that got me researching pretty deeply and for many hours. The charging of electric vehicles, how to do it, where to do it and how much it costs are a bit of a mystery to me, but I managed to learn something along the way that was extremely useful.
Many of the Electric Vehicle Charging Points are FREE!
Was I the only person that didn’t know that? Obviously the EV Charging Points at Motorway Services and Garages are going to make you pay, but most towns and cities in the UK have free to use, electric vehicle charging points randomly scattered around then, at least for the present time anyway.
In the case of you having to charge your VW Electric Campervan at a paying charge station, currently the cost of doing so averages out at around 30p per kW/h in the UK. So with these figures, an “on road” 80% recharge will cost you in the region of £20 and will give you the ability to carry on your journey for around another 200 miles before recharging again.
What Happens If You Run Out Of Power In The New VW Electric Campervan?
With me not being the owner of an EV, and not ever having driven one, this question has often popped into my head when I’ve been stopped next to a shiny new Tesla in a traffic jam.
The answer is, that if you run out of power in an EV it won’t just suddenly stop on the spot where it stands, as a vacuum cleaner would do if you unplugged it.
Electric Vehicles are fitted with a failsafe where they keep back a tiny amount of power in order to allow you to drive yourself to safety.
Unfortunately, after that you are going to have to call for roadside recovery to tow or transport you to an EV Charging Station.
It appears no one has come up with the idea of a mobile Electric Vehicle Recharging Service yet. Not that I can find anyway. But if someone did I think of providing that service, there would be serious safety implications with it recharging a broken down EV on the hard shoulder of a motorway for 30+ minutes, so I think that idea is a “non starter” (boom boom!)
What Facilities Does The New VW Campervan Have?
Wait for it?
This isn’t one of those drumroll wait for it moments. We are all actually going to have to wait for details of what is, or isn’t going to be in the new VW Electric Campervan, as VW haven’t released any details yet.
I have scoured the internet and there are no images, mock ups or specifications that I can find. Other than the image with the pop top that I have used above and is doing the rounds in the media.
How Many People Does the VW Electric Campervan Sleep?
The VW ID Buzz Campervan is reported to be going to have 5 seats. You would think that this would indicate that the Campervan would sleep 5.
However, this is not always the case, as other Campervans, VWs included, have 5 seats fitted and only sleep 4 people, so the jury is out on that question too, until VW release the details that is.
Is The New VW Electric Campervan Worth Buying?
In my opinion, the idea of owning an Electric Campervan, especially this model of VW Electric Campervan with it’s stunning body style is extremely appealing.
The price range seems about right in comparison with other EVs on the market too.
My only reservation would be with the 250 mile range limit with the standard battery. With the battery upgrade, I’d say I would definitely like to own one and it would be worth the money.
Obviously a decision as to whether the VW ID Buzz Campervan will be worth buying or not can’t be made yet. A solid decision couldn’t possibly be made until VW release some details of what features they are going to incorporate into the build.
With that being said, if the build is anything like the T6 California, then I think they will be selling like hot cakes.
