Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro real world range test

Vik Braykov, 14 April 2024

Volkswagen has a rich history of making consumer grade vans with the Transporter and Crafter being crowd favorites for decades now. However no model can quite match the cult following of the model that started it all - the Volkswagen Transporter T1. The van turned into a symbol of an entire decade and the hippy culture. So it's no wonder Volkswagen tried to give it a modern spin with the Volkswagen ID. Buzz.

Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro range test

Our detailed review of the ID.Buzz Pro is coming soon, but first let's focus on how far it can take you. Its shape and size suggest that it's no range champion, but its battery size and WLTP figures suggest it might not be too bad either. So what better way to find out than a real-world range test?

Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro range test

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro has a 150 kW (201 hp) motor powering the rear wheels and a 82 kWh battery that can go 261 miles on a single charge per the WLTP cycle. Since the ID.Buzz is unlike any of the other EVs we've tested, we will compare its results to some of the larger vehicles we have in the database.

We drove our usual test routes, driving at constant speeds in both directions at the same place as with every other car we test. The ambient temperature while testing the ID.Buzz was 68°F, which is absolutely perfect, meaning that our results show the absolute best values the vehicle is capable of.

At our lowest testing speed of 37 mph the Volkswagen ID.Buzz demonstrates great efficiency and matches and even beats some regular cars. Aerodynamics aren't particularly important here, so the van makes its large battery count as its electrical systems are also seemingly highly efficient.

Once we move on to the next speed of 56 mph the ID.Buzz requires significantly more energy, but still ranks around the middle of the pack in absolute terms.

Range test results

  • 37 mph
  • 56 mph
  • 81 mph
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+
544 miles
5.1 mi/kWh 70°F
BMW i7 xDrive60 BMW i7 xDrive60
518 miles
5.1 mi/kWh 75°F
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic
502 miles
4.3 mi/kWh 61°F
Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023) Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023)
452 miles
6 mi/kWh 100°F
Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD
440 miles
5.9 mi/kWh 75°F
Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD
439 miles
4.6 mi/kWh 52°F
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX Volkswagen ID.4 GTX
419 miles
5.5 mi/kWh 63°F
Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD
409 miles
4.7 mi/kWh 52°F
Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used) Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used)
393 miles
5.9 mi/kWh 73°F
Volkswagen ID.Buzz Volkswagen ID.Buzz
383 miles
5 mi/kWh 68°F
Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh
378 miles
5.9 mi/kWh 52°F
Polestar 2 Polestar 2
354 miles
4.9 mi/kWh 59°F
BMW i5 BMW i5
353 miles
4.3 mi/kWh 37°F
Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh
350 miles
5.4 mi/kWh 52°F
Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic
343 miles
3.8 mi/kWh 77°F
Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 Renault Megane E-Tech EV60
336 miles
6.1 mi/kWh 86°F
Peugeot e-2008 Peugeot e-2008
326 miles
6.4 mi/kWh 63°F
Jeep Avenger Jeep Avenger
323 miles
6.3 mi/kWh 79°F
Volvo EX30 Performance Volvo EX30 Performance
301 miles
4.7 mi/kWh 64°F
Fiat 500e Fiat 500e
276 miles
7.4 mi/kWh 68°F
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+
455 miles
4.2 mi/kWh 70°F
Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD
350 miles
4.7 mi/kWh 75°F
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic
344 miles
2.9 mi/kWh 61°F
BMW i7 xDrive60 BMW i7 xDrive60
342 miles
3.4 mi/kWh 75°F
Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023) Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023)
328 miles
4.4 mi/kWh 100°F
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX Volkswagen ID.4 GTX
315 miles
4.1 mi/kWh 63°F
Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD
308 miles
2.9 mi/kWh 52°F
Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh
299 miles
4.7 mi/kWh 52°F
Volkswagen ID.Buzz Volkswagen ID.Buzz
293 miles
3.8 mi/kWh 68°F
BMW i5 BMW i5
286 miles
3.5 mi/kWh 37°F
Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh
286 miles
4.4 mi/kWh 52°F
Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD
286 miles
3.3 mi/kWh 52°F
Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic
275 miles
3 mi/kWh 77°F
Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used) Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used)
265 miles
4 mi/kWh 73°F
Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 Renault Megane E-Tech EV60
255 miles
4.3 mi/kWh 86°F
Polestar 2 Polestar 2
241 miles
3.3 mi/kWh 59°F
Volvo EX30 Performance Volvo EX30 Performance
229 miles
3.6 mi/kWh 64°F
Jeep Avenger Jeep Avenger
217 miles
4.3 mi/kWh 79°F
Peugeot e-2008 Peugeot e-2008
216 miles
4.3 mi/kWh 63°F
Fiat 500e Fiat 500e
181 miles
4.9 mi/kWh 68°F
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+
324 miles
3 mi/kWh 70°F
BMW i7 xDrive60 BMW i7 xDrive60
314 miles
3.1 mi/kWh 75°F
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic
254 miles
2.2 mi/kWh 61°F
Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 43 4Matic
231 miles
2.5 mi/kWh 77°F
Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used) Tesla Model S 75D (2018, used)
212 miles
3.2 mi/kWh 73°F
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX Volkswagen ID.4 GTX
210 miles
2.7 mi/kWh 63°F
Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD Nissan Ariya 87 kWh FWD
209 miles
2.4 mi/kWh 52°F
Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD Hyundai Ioniq 6 LR AWD
209 miles
2.8 mi/kWh 75°F
Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023) Tesla Model Y Long Range (2023)
208 miles
2.8 mi/kWh 100°F
BMW i5 BMW i5
204 miles
2.5 mi/kWh 37°F
Polestar 2 Polestar 2
186 miles
2.6 mi/kWh 59°F
Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD Kia EV9 99.8 kWh AWD
180 miles
1.9 mi/kWh 52°F
Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh
175 miles
2.7 mi/kWh 52°F
Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 Renault Megane E-Tech EV60
170 miles
2.8 mi/kWh 86°F
Volkswagen ID.Buzz Volkswagen ID.Buzz
163 miles
2.1 mi/kWh 68°F
Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh Hyundai Kona Electric 65.4kWh
162 miles
2.5 mi/kWh 52°F
Volvo EX30 Performance Volvo EX30 Performance
156 miles
2.6 mi/kWh 64°F
Peugeot e-2008 Peugeot e-2008
144 miles
2.8 mi/kWh 63°F
Jeep Avenger Jeep Avenger
142 miles
2.8 mi/kWh 79°F
Fiat 500e Fiat 500e
119 miles
3.2 mi/kWh 68°F

The result at the highest testing speed of 81 mph makes it abundantly clear that the ID.Buzz is not intended for highway usage. Its consumption skyrockets to almost 2.1 mi/kWh, which is the second highest consumption we've ever seen. Shaped like a brick wall and weighing 2.5 tonnes the van requires significant amount of energy to overcome rolling and air resistance that comes at that speed.

So the Volkswagen ID.Buzz can go a very long way if you stick to urban or extra-urban speeds. Those long way highway trips will require a very light foot and some extra patience, though.

Volkswagen ID.Buzz Pro range test

You can now use the widget below to find out the Volkswagen ID.Buzz’s range in every combination of speed and temperature you might need. We've used our real world tests and a complex model to provide an estimate that should be as close to the actual performance as possible.

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Reader comments

  • Margus

It will be cool to have it with diesel motor.

  • Font

That's honestly a very bad mechanical decision. Not AWD, poor performance, bad battery size and range, specially for a car this size.....this would be a GREAT camper should VW made it with better settings.....as it was shown in the post, it�...

  • ross

I don't know about the range, but I have to say it’s the best looking car on the street.

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