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VW has revealed the much-anticipated North American version of its ID. Buzz electric microbus, with an extra row of seats and starting deliveries next year.

The new ID. Buzz version is much like the two-row European spec, but with a little more of just about everything. It has 282hp as opposed to 201hp (plus an available 330hp dual-motor configuration) with a top speed of 99 mph instead of 90 mph, 91kWh instead of 82kWh of battery, and is a full 10 inches longer.

Those additional 10 inches all come in the form of a 10-inch-longer wheelbase on the NA-spec. At 192.4 inches long, the three-row ID. Buzz is actually a full 2 feet longer than VW’s original 168-inch-long microbus. This all means more space for humans and cargo compared to the two-row version (though the extra row of seats takes up some of that space, but the 2nd row folds flat and 3rd row can be removed).

It also means room for an extra 9kWh of battery. VW hasn’t yet announced the range of the three-row version, though the European spec has 263 miles on the WLTP cycle. While the NA-spec has a larger battery, it’s also a longer and heavier vehicle, and EPA mileage estimates are significantly lower than WLTP estimates, so we can’t be sure what the final number will shake out as.

We don’t know if there are any changes to the Buzz’s charging capability either – the EU spec has 170kW charging, and that will likely stay the same for the US version, but a larger battery could enable slightly faster charging speeds, which would be nice.

The only efficiency-related answer VW provided in its press release is that the Buzz has a drag coefficient of .29, which it calls “very good for a vehicle of this shape” (i.e., a brick).

As for other differences, the North American model comes in three new colors that aren’t available on the European spec: Cabana Blue, Metro Silver, and Indium Grey.

VW hasn’t yet specified a price for the US version of the ID.Buzz, but it starts in the $65K-$70K range in Europe after taxes. The US version will be bigger, so might also cost more, but the starting price would likely be quoted as a little lower, since US taxes are added after the fact. Nevertheless, we can expect that this vehicle will probably be priced closer to the higher end of the electric SUV market, rather than the entry level.

We mention electric SUVs because there isn’t really another vehicle like this. There’s one plug-in hybrid minivan, the Pacifica Hybrid, and some commercial electric vans like the eSprinter and E-Transit. The ID. Buzz sits somewhere adjacent to a van and a minivan, with more character than either, so it’s hard to really find a direct competitor for it.

But the closest thing is probably minivans, and this will be much higher price than the gas-powered entry-level of that market, which is in the ~$35K range. That said, the Buzz gets access to incentives and will have lower running costs from energy and maintenance.

And, as the first all-electric entry into the market, VW probably thinks it can justify a higher price. Anecdotally, there does seem to be significant demand out there for a cool minivan-esque electric vehicle – especially one that could enable interesting conversion/adventure options.

VW didn’t give us any more news about the upcoming California camper van that it’s planning, but the long wheelbase gives VW room to work with. With all that space and built-in electricity, there should be some really cool options out there for van-lifers (perhaps even ones who want to stay off the grid with solar panels).

The public will get its first chance to look at the 3-row ID. Buzz later today, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at VW’s unveiling event in Huntington Beach, California, at the beach parking lot at 21101 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Electrek’s Take

We’ll be at the reveal event later today in Huntington Beach, so we’ll get a chance to have some hands-on time with the van and see what it’s like in person.

As someone whose family had a VW Vanagon Westfalia camper growing up, the VW bus has special significance to me. My family went on a lot of adventures in that bus, and for all its quirks, it was an awesome vehicle.

And when I got into electric vehicles, I constantly thought about what a great platform a bus would be for an EV, with plenty of room under the floor for batteries which could power various camping accessories (stoves, lights, entertainment, etc.).

Electric drive can provide significant benefits to minivan-type vehicles because there’s plenty of room on the floor of the vehicle to fit a battery. This helps designers with packaging the powertrain, freeing up space that would otherwise be filled with engines, driveshafts or the like.

So when Voltswagen showed off its original ID. Buzz concept and leaned hard into the cool retro style of it all, I was immediately sold on the idea. I, and many others, thought it was just too cool.

Then reality set in, and the car ended up looking a little less “cute” than the original retro concept. The finalized version got a little more boxy shape, lost the characteristic old multi-window look, and the commercial/cargo version even lost the rear windows to just look like a normal van.

But still, between the two-tone paint job and short overhangs, the ID. Buzz remains more “fun” than a normal van. And it does have more character than most minivans, and is less boxy than other vans like the Sprinter and Transit.

I do question, however, why North America can’t have the two-row version. It seems like everyone is releasing a three-row EV this year, as if suddenly every American family gained two or three extra members that their European counterparts did not.

Somehow, my family’s 180-inch camper slept my whole American family comfortably, despite being a foot shorter than today’s offering – and it even had a kitchen, too.

We have a strange obsession with bigger vehicles here, despite their enormous costs to society (e.g., thousands of pedestrian lives). Some would say that Americans simply demand larger vehicles, but the problem is more complex than that – it’s largely driven by poor regulation that incentivizes the upsizing of cars. Thankfully the EPA has shown signs that it would like to bend the needle back, but somewhat slowly.

Until then, we still get a neat, retro-esque bus that looks like it could get some awesome camper capabilities. But some of us may still wait for a more micro-version of the classic microbus, instead of the maxi-micro-bus America is getting now.

And there are still some questions that are yet unanswered (price, range, charging), but I’m excited to see what VW does with this bus anyway – and to see it in person in a few hours at the Huntington Beach reveal.

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Electrek FSGP 2025: New teams, new cars, same solar spirit

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Electrek FSGP 2025: New teams, new cars, same solar spirit

The sun has set on a frantic day of scrutineering at this year’s Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP), as teams scramble to qualify for a spot on the starting line tomorrow morning. Electrek FSGP 2025 is shaping up to be one of the event’s most attended ever, thanks to a strong showing of first-time and returning schools. But that also means new and unproven vehicles on the track.

Today, I walked through a couple of bays and talked with a few of the teams able to spare a minute; almost all of them were debuting completely new cars that were years in the making. Building a solar car is no easy feat. It’s not just the engineering and technical know-how that’s often a hurdle for them; it’s more often monetary. However, one of the things that makes this event so special is the camaraderie and collaboration that happen behind the scenes.

Northwestern University is back with a completely new car this season, its eighth since the team’s original inception in 1997 during the GM Sunrayce days. Its motor controller, which is responsible for managing the flow of power from the batteries to the motor, was given to them by the Stanford team. Stanford had extras and could spare one for Northwestern, which needed a replacement. It doesn’t stop there. Two members of the Northwestern team (Shannon and Fiona) told me four other teams helped them with a serious tire replacement around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, saving them from missing important parts of scrutineering.

This is also an exciting year for the West Virginia team, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary as a solar car team, making them one of the oldest teams on the track. With age comes wisdom though: WV is competing again this year with its single-occupant vehicle, Sunseeker. The team ran into issues after last year’s American Solar Challenge (ASC) cross-country event when the vehicle’s control arm, an important part of the suspension that connects the wheels to the chassis, broke. They tell me this year they’re back with a completely redesigned control arm made of both aluminum and steel. Thank you, Hayley, John, and Izzy, for taking the time to talk.

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We’re also seeing new builds this year from the University of Florida, the University of Puerto Rico, NC State, and UC Irvine. Believe it or not, the latter team has never competed in an American Solar Challenge/Formula Sun Grand Prix. This is their first year. UC Irvine doesn’t expect to be on the starting line tomorrow but hopes to be on the track soon after.

On the other hand, we have tried-and-proven cars like my personal favorite, Polytechnique Montréal’s Esteban, which undergoes minor improvements each year. I talked a little bit with this team today, and they told me the car’s motor was dropped, disassembled, and cleaned in preparation for the event. Polytechnique Montréal has passed scrutineering and will appear on the starting line tomorrow.

Polytechnique Montréal

Teams that haven’t wrapped up scrutineering in the last three days can still complete it, though doing so will eat into time on track.

Last year, École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) and Polytechnique Montreal took first place in the Single-Occupant Vehicle (SOV) and Multi-Occupant Vehicle (MOV) classes, respectively. There’s something in the water in Canada.

You can learn more about the different classes and the specific rules here.

I’ll continue to post more updates as the event continues!

2025 Electrek FSGP schedule

The 2025 Electrek FSGP will again be held at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which, interestingly enough, General Motors occasionally uses for Corvette testing and development. A bit of a full-circle moment being so close to the company that started it all.

The event is open to the public and FREE to attend. Come see the solar car race up close!

Racing starts on July 3 from 10am to 6pm CT and continues through July 5 from 9am to 5pm CT.

July 2 (Wednesday)

  • 9am–7pm: Scrutineering
  • 10am–8pm: Altair Challenge

July 3 (Thursday)

  • 10am–12pm: Altair Challenge
  • 10am–6pm: Hot Track
  • 6pm–8pm: Evening Charging

July 4 (Friday)

  • 7am–9am: Morning Charging
  • 9am–5pm: Hot Track
  • 5pm–8pm: Evening Charging

July 5 (Saturday)

  • 7pm: Awards Ceremony
  • 7am–9am: Morning Charging
  • 9am–5pm: Hot Track

2025 Electrek FSGP teams

Purdue

Kentucky

Florida

Berkeley

UT Austin

Iowa State

RIT

Northwestern

Michigan State

Stanford

Illinois State

Washington

Virginia Tech

Illinois

Waterloo

British Columbia

Missouri S&T

Georgia Tech

Poly Montreal

SIUE

Calgary

Rutgers

Toronto

Florida Poly

Virginia

UC Irvine

Western Ontario

NC State

McMaster

Montana State

UOP

Western Michigan

Puerto Rico

App State

If you’re interested in joining us in sponsoring these events, please get in touch here!

Featured image via Cora Kennedy for Electrek FSGP/ASC.

Note: The Formula Sun Grand Prix is not in any way associated or affiliated with the Formula 1 companies, FORMULA 1 racing, or the FIA Formula One World Championship.

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Troubling times for Tesla, Nissan, and Dodge – plus some fun yellow stuff!

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Troubling times for Tesla, Nissan, and Dodge – plus some fun yellow stuff!

Tesla’s Q2 results are in, and they are way, way down from Q2 of 2024. At the same time, Nissan seems to be in serious trouble and the first-ever all-electric Dodge muscle car is getting recalled because its dumb engine noises are the wrong kind of dumb engine noises. All this and more on today’s deeply troubled episode of Quick Charge!

We’ve also got an awesome article from Micah Toll about a hitherto unexplored genre of electric lawn equipment, a $440 million mining equipment deal, and a list of incompetent, corrupt, and stupid politicians who voted away their constituents’ futures to line their pockets.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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OpenAI says Robinhood’s tokens aren’t equity in the company

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OpenAI says Robinhood's tokens aren't equity in the company

Jaque Silva | Nurphoto | Getty Images

OpenAI is distancing itself from Robinhood‘s latest crypto push after the trading platform began offering tokenized shares of OpenAI and SpaceX to users in Europe.

“These ‘OpenAI tokens’ are not OpenAI equity,” OpenAI wrote on X. “We did not partner with Robinhood, were not involved in this, and do not endorse it.”

The company said that “any transfer of OpenAI equity requires our approval — we did not approve any transfer,” and warned users to “please be careful.”

Robinhood announced the launch Monday from Cannes, France, as part of a broader product showcase focused on tokenized equities, staking, and a new blockchain infrastructure play. The company’s stock surged above $100 to hit a new all-time high following the news.

“These tokens give retail investors indirect exposure to private markets, opening up access, and are enabled by Robinhood’s ownership stake in a special purpose vehicle,” a Robinhood spokesperson said in response to the OpenAI post.

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Robinhood offered 5 euros worth of OpenAI and SpaceX tokens to eligible EU users who signed up to trade stock tokens by July 7. The assets are issued under the EU’s looser investor restrictions via Robinhood’s crypto platform.

“This is about expanding access,” said Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s SVP and GM of crypto. “The goal with tokenization is to let anyone participate in this economy.”

The episode highlights the dynamic between crypto platforms seeking to democratize access to financial products and the companies whose names and equity are being represented on-chain

U.S. users cannot access these tokens due to regulatory restrictions.

Robinhood hits record high as OpenAI, SpaceX go on-chain

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