Volkswagen I.D. Buzz Cargo: Storage Space for the Greenies, and There's a Bike, Too

We’re going to be sick of this thing by the time it shows up. Volkswagen’s latter-day electric Microbus, which goes by the name I.D. Buzz, stands to sprout a panel van variant when it appears early next decade.

Riding atop VW’s dedicated MEB architecture, the I.D. Buzz Cargo is envisioned as a single-motor, rear-drive vehicle — unlike the twin-motor, AWD vehicle it’s derived from. While the cargo variant isn’t expected to grace a curb near you until 2022, a three-wheeled electric bike built by VW will apparently see the light of day next year.

Who’s excited for micro-mobility?

Frankly, at this point the bike is more interesting than the van. Judging by the futuristic steering wheel/column on this zero-emission van and the promise of fully autonomous driving, we’re still deep in the realm of conceptual daydreams here. There’s still another three-and-a-half years to go before anyone’s Buzzing around in this thing.

The automaker claims the single-motor, 201 hp I.D. Buzz Cargo should travel between 200 and 345 miles between charges on the WLTP cycle, which is Europe’s new, more accurate testing regimen. Expect slightly lower figures from the EPA. VW claims there’s nothing stopping the Cargo from sticking a second motor up front, giving the van all-weather capability.

Up top, a solar roof allows the concept to recoup up to 9.3 miles of additional driving range each day, weather (and latitude) permitting.

Wait, you wanted to know more about the bike, didn’t you? Here goes. The Cargo e-Bike, which reminds this writer of the superstructure of an old aircraft carrier, is seen as the solution for parcel delivery in European urban centers that can’t (or won’t) accomodate delivery vehicles. A 25-watt electric motor assists the rider, while the front cargo pad (capable of handling 17.7 cubic feet of cargo) remains perpetually level, thanks to canting front wheels.

“The Cargo e-Bike can carry a total payload of 463 pounds and innovative tilt-compensating tech keeps the load platform horizontal in turns. It’s the perfect vehicle for that last mile, part of our vision of micro mobility for the future,” VW writes. The bike hits the market next year.As for the I.D. Buzz Cargo, VW says it could reach European consumers “as early as 2022,” which suggests years of teasing to come.

[Images: Volkswagen]