The long-awaited 2024 VW ID.Buzz has been priced from $79,990 plus on-road costs ahead of its introduction Down Under later this year.
Australian buyers have four model grades to choose from, comprising a single Cargo variant and three people movers.
That opening figure predictably applies to the three-seat Cargo version and rises to $87,990 when referring to the Pro 5-Seater SWB. Adding an extra row of seating and a longer wheelbase sees another $3300 added to the asking price, rising to $91,290 for the Pro 7-Seater LWB.
The top-spec and sportier Volkswagen ID.Buzz GTX LWB 4Motion starts from $109,990 plus on-road costs, making it the only variant in the range to fall afoul of the Luxury Car Tax threshold and thereby ineligible for the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption.
In another surprise twist, every sub-GTX ID.Buzz in Australia will be powered by the gutsier 210kW/560Nm single-motor drive system usually reserved for the LWB versions as opposed to the lesser 150kW/310Nm set-up used in the European shorties.
However, the respective battery capacities still apply: 84kWh for the SWB, 91kWh for the LWB. The same goes for the Cargo, however the torque figure drops slightly to 550Nm.
VW Australia is yet to publish any concrete range figures for the local variants, however the overseas LWB and GTX are good for up to 453km and 420km against the WLTP cycle respectively.
Standard equipment highlights on the solitary Aussie ID.Buzz Cargo include seating for three, 18-inch steel wheels, drum rear brakes, cloth seat upholstery, a two-speaker sound system, body-coloured exterior trim, a 12.9-inch infotainment system housing smartphone mirroring and DAB+ digital radio, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control and LED exterior lighting.
According to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Ryan Davies, almost 7000 Aussies have expressed their interest in an ID.Buzz of some description with plenty more expected to put their names down following today’s pricing announcement.
“Many Australians have a deep emotional and historical connection with Volkswagen vans and people movers,” he said.
“We’re delighted to deliver the highly desirable BEV reinventions of those classics.
“Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ first fully electric range gives us a capability to supply families and fleets alike with a vehicle that has been highly anticipated,” he added.
carsales understands the first vehicles are well on-track to arrive on Aussie soil before Christmas, a fortunate outcome of accelerated production timelines.