The ID Buggy revives the spirit of the Meyers Manx recreational vehicle and is made on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electrical design, which is able to initial be place into production with the ID hatch later this year.
VW style chief Klaus Bischoff told Autocar the intent of the machine is to prove that electrical cars may be fun. Headditional that the ID Buggy can eventually be offered purchasable, speech communication the conception given at the Geneva show is “70% production ready”.The ID Buggy options a 202bhp, 228lb linear unit rear-mountedmotor, giving 0-62mph in seven.2 sec and a high speed of 99mph. Power comes from a 62kWh battery, giving a variety of around a hundred and fifty five miles on the WLTP cycle.
The rear-wheel-drive drivetrain echoes the Beetle drivetrain from the first buggies, however Volkswagen samethat, like alternative ID models, a motor may be fitted to the front shaft to produce all-wheel-drive.
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The Buggy is 4063mm long, 1890mm wide and 1463mm tall, creating it marginally shorter, wider and not up tothe ID hatch. The buggy encompasses a 2650mm distance and a ground clearance of 2400mm, and sits on 18-inch wheels in massive cross-country tyres. The conception version may be a car, however 2 rear seats mayprobably be additional.Bischoff referred to as the Buggy a “modern, retro-free interpretation.” He added: “Wewished one thing that has the spirit of the first buggy, however it additionally had to be a contemporary, new design.”
The large front bumper and spherical crystal rectifier headlights echo the Meyers Manx buggy, with the bodywork dropping at the edges. The front screen is detached, whereas the high body part options a Targa-style roll bar.
There aren't any doors, with the aspect instead dipping to create for easier access, and no roof. A detachable cowlhad been developed for the conception to shield from sun or rain. The ultimate production version is probably going to own a safer detachable protect the roof and sides.
The minimalist interior makes intensive use of sturdy, waterproof materials, together with waterproof materialseats with drains at the all-time low to make sure water doesn't pool within the seats.
Virtually all the controls area unit engineered into the hexangular wheel. A controller stalk on the aspect of the wheel is employed to pick out drive and have interaction the handbrake. there's atiny low digital info screen settledbehind the wheel, however there's no inbuilt motion picture or autonomy systems.
“The Buggy is all regarding going back to basics,” same Bischoff. “We wished to indicate that there'll be an areafor straightforward, fun cars within the future.”
With no motion picture system, music may be contend through inbuilt speakers employing a smartphone connected via Bluetooth.The car’s mixed metallic element, steel and plastic composite bodywork is independentand might be faraway from the MEB chassis. Bischoff same the aim is to external corporations to develop their own bodywork, with VW either providing MEB chassis or building it to those designed.
He added: “The original buggy was developed by tiny corporations victimization the Beetle, and we’re excited to ascertain what corporations will return up with. There is a long history of Volkswagen cars being turned into amazing machines by other firms.”
Volkswagen has previously revealed that it wants to make its MEB platform available for rival manufacturers to use.
While the ID Buggy is a relatively niche machine, Bischoff said that the firm will be able justify producing it in relatively small number due because it can benefit from the economies of scale of the other ID cars on the MEB platform. “We need to sell hundreds of thousands of something to justify production,” said Bischoff. “We can do that with the ID hatch, and that allows us to make machines like the Buggy too.”
There is no firm date for the Buggy to go into production, it will likely be after the more mainstream ID concepts that have been revealed. Following the hatch will come production machines based on the Cross SUV, Buzz van and Vizzion saloon. Another SUV, and a luxury ‘ID Lounge’ are also planned.It will likely go into production after the previously revealed ID concepts: the hatch, Crozz SUV, Buzz MPV, Vizzion saloon and a largely SUV.
The Buggy is part of Volkswagen’s ‘reinvention’ of some of its classic models, which also includes the VW Transporter-inspired Buzz. Bischoff has previously confirmed the firm is evaluating an ID-based reinvention of the Beetle, and he said several other similar models are being considered.
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As well as showcasing the ID. Buggy at Geneva, Volkswagen is also previewing its plans for a mobile charging station service, which it says is close to production and planned to go into service in 2020.
The system works on the principle of a powerbank, similar to that used to charge smartphones, albeit on a much larger and powerful scale, with charging capacity of up to 360kWh. Volkswagen said the system will allow for charging points to be installed in temporary locations where there is demand, such as music festivals, and could potentially use recycled batteries from old ID models.
