Volkswagen ID. Buzz News

Volkswagen has confirmed its electric Transporter mid-sized van will arrive in Australia before the end of this year to go head-to-head with the Ford E-Transit Custom and LDV eDeliver 7.In an announcement made this week Volkswagen said the Transporter battery electric vehicle (BEV) would land locally in the third quarter of 2025. This would have the electric version of the new-generation Transporter arriving at the same time as the diesel variant, with the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) variant following in the second quarter of 2026.Volkswagen also confirmed some vital specifications for the Transporter EV. A single electric motor producing 210kW and 450Nm will power the Transporter EV’s rear wheels and a payload capacity of 1038kg will apply to both short-wheelbase and long-wheel base versions.In comparison, the diesel variant of the Transporter uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine making 125kW and 390Nm, and will be available in front- and all-wheel drive. Short- and long wheelbase grades will have a payload of 1326kg.The Transporter PHEV will be powered by a 2.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid system making a combined 205kW and 320Nm, with both short- and long wheelbases offering 1140kg of payload.Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Product Manager Nadia Bucholtz said the new-generation Transporter would cater for more applications than before.“Short and long wheelbases, standard roof height and high roof variants, front-wheel drive and 4Motion, Transporter has remained committed to supplying the most fit-for-purpose vehicles to our customers, including the most extensive range of applications,” Ms Bucholtz said.“The addition of BEV and PHEV variants to the range serves to further expand that product offering, particularly as our customers look to ways to minimise their emissions, maximise drive comfort and reduce running costs.”Volkswagen developed the Transporter EV in conjunction with Ford which has produced its version, the E-Transit Custom, and that is also expected to arrive in 2025.Pricing for both vehicles has not been announced yet but buyers can expect Volkswagen’s Transporter EV to list from about $70,000. LDV's eDeliver 7 is a popular rival to both the Transporter EV and E-Transit Custom and starts at $67,358 before extending up to $73,674.The entry price into the current generation of the Transporter is for the diesel 320S Trend short-wheel base which starts at $56,590 before on-road costs and extends to the top-of-the-range grade at $62,990.Volkswagen’s reveal of the Transporter's arrival timing came during a broader announcement detailing the brand’s upcoming commercial vehicles including the Caddy light cargo carrier, the electric ID. Buzz retro Kombi, the larger Crafter and the new-generation and just-arrived Multivan people mover.

The next 12 or 18 months will be a busy time for Volkswagen Australia as it launches multiple new EV models into its line-up.One of those is the ID.Buzz, the latter-day Kombi with an all-electric driveline, which is expected to begin deliveries by the end of this year as a zero-emissions alternative to the Kia Carnival and Hyundai Staria.And while we’re now waiting for pricing details, VW has let slip that the fastest ID. Buzz variant, the GTX, is also destined for Aussie shores.The performance version of the ID. Buzz will likely cost well north of $100,000 when it arrives, but its performance should balance that out.So would the presentation with VW Australia’s head of marketing, Nathan Johnson, confirming the GTX would feature a sporty, dark interior and would be available in two versions of two-tone red (black over red and silver over cherry red) harking back to the original Kombi.We’re likely to see the all-wheel-drive, long-wheelbase version when it arrives.More specifications were not forthcoming form VW Australia, but the GTX reportedly uses a 250kW all-electric driveline and can reach 100km/h from rest in a claimed 6.4 seconds.Mr Johnson also confirmed that the GTX would be the brand’s fastest ever MPV.The ID.Buzz will join the ID.4 and ID.5 electric SUVs, which are due to arrive in the middle of this year, in the brand's expanding EV range.The small ID.3 electric hatchback is expected to arrive in showrooms next year, too.

Volkswagen Group has shown off yet another all-electric concept with the reveal of its new ID Buzz Cargo van at the IAA commercial vehicle show in Hannover this week.