Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo Review & Prices

If you’re a business owner looking for a van that shows you’re a modern, forward-thinking, eco-conscious company, then the Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo is the perfect van for you.

The eco-friendly tag can apply to any electric van, with alternatives including the slightly larger Ford E-Transit Custom, as well as the Toyota Proace Electric, Maxus eDeliver 3 and various Stellantis vans including the Peugeot e-Expert.

However, where the ID Buzz Cargo really stands out is its design. None of those alternatives have the VW’s head-turning looks, which give it that cool image. It’s like a modern interpretation of retro VW buses of the past, and it works really well.

It’s a lot less exciting inside, though. You get the basics of VW’s electric car range, namely the slightly rubbish and awkward-to-use infotainment screen, though the instrument screen behind the steering wheel is clear enough. Materials aren’t particularly plush but feel like they should stand up pretty well to rigorous use over time.

VW ID Buzz Cargo: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 275 miles
Efficiency: 3.2 miles per kWh
Battery size: 79kWh
Max charge speed: 170kW
Charge time AC: 7hrs 30mins, 0-100%, 11kW
Charge time DC: 30 mins, 5-80%, 170kW
Charge port location: Right side rear
Power outputs: 286hp

Where its appeal is slightly limited, though, is the fact that it's only available in one body style. While most alternatives offer varying heights, wheelbase lengths and cab styles, that’s not the case with the ID Buzz Cargo. That means there’s space for three people up front, and a lower load volume than the likes of the Peugeot e-Expert’s smaller configurations.

Perhaps because the ID Buzz Cargo was designed to be an electric van from the ground up, where it excels over alternatives is the fact it can go further on a charge. You get a 79kWh battery with a single-motor, rear-wheel drive setup that has a maximum range of 275 miles. For context, you’re looking at a maximum of 230 miles in the Peugeot e-Expert or 205 miles in the Toyota Proace Electric.

Another con, though, is the low payload, which is 710kg. The Peugeot e-Expert’s payload is 1,001kg and the Ford E-Transit Custom gets 1,011kg.

If you’re not worried about a huge payload then you’ll be rewarded with one of the best electric vans to drive. With an empty cargo area the rear can be a bit bouncy, but you never feel like the suspension is crashing into bumps.

Visibility is good as the upright driving position gives you a great view of the road ahead through the large windscreen. The electric motors are smooth, making town driving a breeze and negotiating bumper-to-bumper traffic about as stress-free as it can be.

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The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo starts at just below £40,000 excluding VAT for the entry-level model, and you can pay about £4,000 on top for a higher-specification version, which uses the same battery and motors. Including VAT, prices start at about £48,000.

Whichever way you look at it, the ID Buzz Cargo ain’t cheap. The bigger Ford E-Transit Custom isn’t a huge leap in price, starting at just over £43,000 excluding VAT, while the Peugeot e-Expert and Toyota Proace Electric both cost comfortably less than the Volkswagen.

The Maxus eDeliver 3 is a real bargain, with a starting price around £30,000, though that version has a small battery with limited range.

One of the best electric vans to drive, but it can get a bit jiggly over bumps when the load area is empty

Gone are the days when vans were cumbersome beasts, with most more car-like than ever before. Even by those standards the Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo is up there with the Ford e-Transit Custom as one of the best to drive.

The electric motors make for smooth progress, which is particularly good in town. Crawling along in urban traffic is a breeze, particularly with no manual gearbox to worry about, and will be particularly appealing for delivery drivers who are regularly stopping and starting.

It’s fine at higher speeds, both on the motorway and country roads, though. The only complaint is that the suspension can be a bit bouncy when the load area is empty. It’s generally comfortable over bumps though, and it’s certainly not enough to be an issue.

Visibility is good, with the large, upright windscreen and high driving position giving you a good view of the road ahead. Though the deep dashboard does take some getting used to, particularly if you need to park the nose close to something like a wall.

Its small dimensions and poor payload mean it’s not the most practical van in the world, but the load area is easy to access and has some underfloor storage

The reality is that if you need maximum space for your cash, the Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo isn’t the best option. The rear has a smaller load volume than most alternatives, but at least it’s pretty easy to access, and there’s some underfloor storage that is useful for storing charging cables where they won’t roll around making a racket.

The ID Buzz Cargo doesn’t redeem itself in the payload department either, being lower than alternatives here too.

Internal and external dimensions

Exterior dimensions
Exterior length: 4,712mm
Exterior height: 1,937mm
Exterior width with mirrors: 2,211mm
Exterior width without mirrors: 1,985mm

Interior load length
2,208mm

Interior loading width
Max: 1,732mm
Between wheel arches: 1,230mm

Rear door aperture height/width
1,257mm/1,217mm

Side door aperture height/width
1,092mm/756mm

The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo can tow a braked trailer up to 1,000kg, or 750kg if it’s unbraked. Naturally, towing these sorts of weights will have a bad effect on range, so bear this in mind when planning journeys.

For context, those figures are identical to the Peugeot e-Expert, a bit less than the Maxus eDeliver 3, and a lot less than the Ford e-Transit Custom.

The ID Buzz Cargo feels very closely related to Volkswagen’s regular cars – the good news is that means quality materials, but the bad news is it gets the same annoying infotainment system

Jump aboard the Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo and you’re greeted by a cabin that’s really not far off what you’d find in one of Volkswagen’s electric cars. That means comfortable seats and quality materials throughout, with plastics that feel hard-wearing without looking too cheap.

A particular highlight is that because there’s no need for a gearbox there’s no pod for the shifter intruding on the middle seat space. It means it’s pretty comfy for three, and makes it easy to slide across the cab.

It’s more of a mixed bag when it comes to technology. There’s a screen behind the steering wheel that displays information such as your speed and range, and this is clear, easy to read, and moves with the wheel when you adjust it, so the rim never blocks your view.

The downside is the central infotainment system. The graphics are clear enough, but the touchscreen can be really slow to respond to your inputs, making it frustrating to navigate around. You also have to suffer VW’s useless touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons.

Storage is pretty good at least. You have roomy door bins and cup holders at either end of the windscreen (which are a fraction too far away, if we’re being picky). There’s also a long storage area beneath the windscreen, another tray above the glovebox, and another cubby beneath the main touchscreen.

The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo has a 79kWh battery with an official range of up to 275 miles. Naturally, as with petrol or diesel fuel economy, achieving that depends largely on how you drive. Official tests suggest up to 384 miles of range is possible if you stick to city driving, but if you regularly carry heavy loads you will find that figure quickly drops, and it’s a similar story if you do a lot of motorway miles.

That’s the same for all electric vans, though, and the ID Buzz Cargo has the benefit of having a higher official range figure than alternatives can manage, so should still go further between top ups than them in a like for like test.

Running costs will be much lower than a typical diesel van regardless of your usage, but the difference isn’t as clear-cut if you rely on expensive public chargers. If you have access to low-cost private or business rates when charging the savings should be massive, but if not, do your research to see how much public charging could cost you.

Charging on AC power is possible up to 11kW, which would see a full charge from empty take 7.5 hours, but if you’re using a public fast charger the ID Buzz Cargo can hit 170kW with a 5-80% charge time of around 30 minutes.

The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo has been put through Euro NCAP’s commercial vehicle safety tests, receiving the top Platinum award. Testers noted that its close relation to the ID Buzz MPV means it comes with lots of driver assistance technology such as autonomous emergency braking and a driver alertness monitor. You also get front and rear parking sensors, as well as cruise control, as standard.

Although the ID Buzz Cargo has not seen too many issues specifically, Volkswagen has had a bit of a nightmare with the software that runs its ID range of cars. While most of these issues have now been resolved, it’s worth bearing in mind if you’re looking at a slightly older used ID Buzz Cargo.

The Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo comes with a three-year, 100,000-mile warranty, while the battery gets a separate eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. You also get the first three services and the first MOT included as standard. Services are required every two years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first.