ID. Buzz Freestyle: the new entry-level version of the electric van from Volkswagen

With the aim of bringing its successful electric van to a greater number of customers, Volkswagen has introduced in Germany a new entry-level version of the range, called ID.Buzz Freestyle. A new model that will allow those on a tight budget to save a few euros, although, as can be seen in the images, some concessions will have to be made in exchange.

The ID.Buzz Freestyle comes with 18-inch steel wheels, fitted with 235/60 R18 tyres at the front and 255/55 R18 at the rear. The German manufacturer also offers 19-inch alloy wheels for those who want them, but that would increase the price of the vehicle by 2,500 euros, undermining the purpose of this version, which is none other than to reduce costs as its primary objective.

The only colour available at no extra cost is Caramel White, so we’ll stick with that, although you can also opt for Lunar Silver metallic for 1,035 euros. As expected, the ID.Buzz Freestyle comes with unpainted bumpers, in the style of some vehicles from the 1980s. Volkswagen also offers, free of charge, the option of applying some stickers to the sides of the vehicle to give it a different look.

Less is more

The austerity of the exterior also extends to the interior in order to keep costs down. Thus, the seats are made of fabric and as basic as you can imagine, but they will do their job perfectly and stand the test of time well. The front seats are also manually height-adjustable, and a two-zone climate control system is included. What the German manufacturer has not dispensed with is the central screen, although in this case it measures 12.9 inches, but it includes wireless connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

As for its technical specifications, this new Freestyle version has a single electric motor on the rear axle capable of delivering up to 125 kW of power, with 310 Nm of torque, which allows it to reach 100 km/h in 10.7 seconds. Its top speed, on the other hand, is limited to 145 km/h.

It is also worth noting that the battery pack it fits has a capacity of 59 kWh, making it possible to travel around 329 km on a single charge under the WLTP homologation cycle. When recharging, the manufacturer claims it is possible to increase the battery’s state of charge from 10 to 80 percent in 24 minutes.

But how much does it cost?

Finally, and to conclude, let’s get to the important part: the price. Volkswagen is offering this Freestyle version of the ID. Buzz in Germany for 49,997 euros including VAT — 42,015 euros if we exclude the 19 percent VAT that applies in Germany. This represents a saving of more than 4 thousand euros compared with the most affordable version of this electric van that was previously on sale, the Pure version. The ID. Buzz Pure is still on sale as well, and its price in Germany is 54,127 euros including VAT.

At the moment we do not know whether this Freestyle version will eventually reach other European markets such as Spain, but it is logical to assume that it will.