Volkswagen will bring five new electric cars to Australia including a new version of its popular Combi van – here’s what to expect
- A Volkswagen Combi tribute, ID.Buzz, is hitting Australian streets
- It will join Volkswagen’s total of five electric vehicles in Australia by 2025
German automaker Volkswagen will launch five new electric vehicle models in Australia by the end of next year to capitalize on the electric car craze.
The famous manufacturer has announced that five of its ID electric car range will land here by the end of 2024 including the ID. Buzz, a tribute to the classic combi.
ID.Buzz will come in two variants, ID.BUzz People-Mover and ID.Buzz Cargo.
With a long body and blunt hood, the model harkens back to the original Volkswagen Combi that was popular as a touring car during the 1960s and 1970s, and became synonymous with surf and hippie culture.
Alongside the two ID.Buzz models, the ID.3 sedan – which has been sold across Europe since 2019 – and the new ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs will hit Australian roads around the same time.
Volkswagen has announced two homages to its iconic combi van, ID.Buzz (pictured), will be part of five new electric cars the manufacturer will introduce to Australia by the end of 2024
The Kombi’s electric successor has a range of about 500 kilometers with a five to 80 percent charge and takes about 30 minutes when connected to a DC fast charger.
It also comes with a digital dashboard and focus on comfortable, configurable seating, including foldable trays and maneuverable seats to accommodate larger volumes or passenger numbers.
Although the price has not yet been announced, based on UK prices, the base model could cost around $60,000, and the premium models could cost upwards of $100,000.
That price might be too steep for today’s hippie or surfer, but Ryan Davies, head of commercial vehicles for Volkswagen Australia, thinks Australians will welcome the car to its streets.
“ID.Buzz is a people-stopping traffic-people stop, stare, smile,” he said.
“It is an amazing blend of style and function that will capture the imagination of Australians – and is reflected in our ambitious sales volumes.”
ID.Buzz features a battery life of about 500 kilometers, with a battery charge from 5 to 80 percent taking about 30 minutes when connected to a DC fast charger
The Combi Tribute will likely be priced around $60,000 for the base model while the premium models will cost around $100,000, targeting individual and bargain traders.
He said the vehicle will be aimed at individual traders and traders.
We expect ID.Buzz Cargo to sell at least as well, which is incredibly attractive to individual dealers who want to reduce their emissions in the most fun way possible.
“This is a proper, from the ground up ‘BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) – not reverse engineering an existing diesel vehicle,” he continued.
The ID.4 has been confirmed by Volkswagen to be priced similarly to its Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI R-Line, which currently sells for $64,000.
Based on these price estimates, vehicles will be eligible for tax incentives from state governments, including stamp duty discounts and rebates.
The announcement comes after recent statistics showed that electric car sales are at a record high in Australia, making up around 3 per cent of total car sales, according to the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria.
Tesla accounted for the majority of electric vehicle sales in 2022, selling 19,594 of the total 33,410 electric vehicles sold.
Recently, the first month of 2023 saw 2,927 Tesla Model 3 cars roll off the showroom, despite having a starting price of $63,900.
