BUDD-e, electric microbus concept, Volkswagen Group, Wolfsburg, Germany


Volkswagen BUDD-e Concept World Premiere at CES 2016

Published on Jan 6, 2016

With BUDD-e, Volkswagen demonstrates what electric mobility could be like by the year 2019. Volkswagen’s new MEB platform will enable a series production car to have pure electric range that is on par with today’s gasoline-powered cars by the end of the decade. The time required to charge the batteries to 80 percent of capacity is anticipated to be reduced to about 15 minutes by then, marking an operational breakthrough for EVs.

BUDD-e is the first concept car developed by the Volkswagen Group that is underpinned by the new Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB). This architecture heralds a fundamental change in electric cars and ushers in a revolution in automotive technology, leaving today’s fossil-fuel powered internal combustion engines and drivetrains in the past. This significant innovation will lead to huge changes in the development of electric-powered Volkswagens in the years to come, from body and interior design, to packaging and drive characteristics.

The new platform is designed to have the space for electric drive components and large batteries while maintaining interior space and driving dynamics. MEB will allow for spacious interiors with the smallest possible footprint to enable easy and nimble transportation. In addition to their space, MEB vehicles will offer high levels of functionality and networking thanks to the new vehicle architecture, instrumentation, and operating systems. New and enhanced assistance systems will provide passengers with safer transport.

Dynamic performance is, and will remain, a key part of Volkswagen’s DNA, and MEB vehicles will be no exception. With a focus on optimal balance, future VW vehicles based off the platform will offer the kind of agility, strong acceleration and handling that VW customers have come to expect. New battery and electric drive componentry will enable inexpensive access to e-mobility: a much longer purely electric range will allow these vehicles to become the primary transportation in many consumers’ households.

The new MEB delivers a drivetrain architecture that is specifically tailored for the integration of compact electric motors and high-performance, highly-efficient batteries. The 101 kWh battery is flat, to save space, and integrated into almost the entire vehicle floor. It powers two electric motors, one to drive each axle.

The front and rear motors power all four wheels and enable a top speed of 93 mph. The total range of up to 373 miles is achieved on a full charge, putting the BUDD-e on a level playing field with today’s gasoline-powered cars. Like today’s electric vehicles, the BUDDE-e offers several levels of plugged-in charging with the added benefit of cordless inductive charging.

Another benefit of the new MEB is entirely new packaging opportunities, highlighted throughout the BUDD-e concept. One significant enhancement is illustrated by the arrangement of the heating and air conditioning unit. For instance, the innovative new heating and air conditioning unit has been completely integrated in the front end of the car which allows for significantly more available space, improves air quality (thanks to larger and more robust filters), and results in a reduction of fan noise inside the cabin for excellent acoustics.

The concept van is 181 inches long, 76.3 inches wide and 72.2 inches high, placing it between two very successful Volkswagen models sold in Europe, the Touran and the Multivan T6. Due to its generous width, relatively long wheelbase (124.1 inches), and very short overhangs (27 inches at the front and 28.9 inches and the rear), the BUDD-e’s proportions are very appealing.
 

VW rolls out BUDD-e Microbus Concept

Published on Jan 6, 2016

At CES 2016, Chairman Herbert Diess unveiled VW's all-electric bus. The concept vehicle has a range of 373 miles and it's packed with future tech features like gesture-controlled doors and a cockpit connected to the smart home.
 

Fully-electric VW microbus concept

Published on Jan 11, 2017

Volkswagen unveiled another new microbus concept in Detroit — a total blast from the past that probably won’t have much of a future.

The I.D. Buzz is an all-electric, fully autonomous vehicle meant to harken back to Volkswagen’s glory days of peace signs, bellbottoms, and flower power.
 

First autonomous test drive of the ID. BUZZ AD on public roads in Munich!

Apr 14, 2022

For the first time, the autonomous ID. BUZZ left the test site and drove directly in public traffic – of Munich’s city center.

Our CEO Herbert Diess - not as usual behind the steering wheel, but as a passenger - tested the progress recently. Watch the video and find out more about our AD strategy & technology.

That's what it's about:

# In April 2022, Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess did the first autonomous test drive - no longer on the test site, but on public roads in the city center of Munich – with our partner ARGO AI.

# Important milestone for the Volkswagen Group on its way to transform from a vehicle manufacturer to a leading, software company.

# An environment recognition system from six lidar, eleven radar and fourteen cameras, distributed over the entire electric vehicle, can capture much more than any human driver can from his seat. AD will relieve congestion and increase safety in cities.

# The ID. BUZZ AD will bring its passengers to their destination in a self-driving commercial ride-pooling service operated by MOIA - starting in 2025 in Hamburg.

What do you think? Are you looking forward to being driven safe & hustle-free?
Looking forward to your comments!


ID. BUZZ AD - This vehicle is a test vehicle and has not gone on sale yet.
 
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