Volkswagen ID. Buzz – A joyful throwback to the future
Driving the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz was an experience that left a lasting impression. This all-electric micro bus seamlessly fuses the charm of the classic VW minibus with today’s EV tech, creating something truly unique on the road. Everywhere I drove this ID Buzz, it stopped people in their tracks and everyone had questions about it. Having the chance to be one of the first to drive this iconic vehicle was very exciting and I have some thoughts.
Spec breakdown
The ID Buzz, for the US, was announced last year and there have been plenty of articles showing off the specs and everything it has on paper. This article is mostly about how it feels to truly drive this car and have it as your own. But I did want to touch on the high level specs for those that want a refresher. Here’s a brief overview of the ID. Buzz’s key specs:
- Range: The Pro S Plus RWD (the model I was driving) delivers an estimated 234 miles on a full charge.
- Power: With 282 horsepower, it has plenty of power for both city driving and highway cruising.
- Towing: The RWD models are rated for 2,600 lbs while AWD can tow up to 3,500 lbs.
- Charging: Fast charging lets you go from 10-80% in just 26 minutes—ideal for those long road trips.
- Space: With the third row removed, you’ll have 145.5 cubic feet of space for cargo.
- Here are some key high-level specs for the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz:
- Battery Size: 91 kWh
- Turning Radius (RWD): 37.4 feet
Now that we have some of those specs out of the way, lets get into the driving experience!
Instant icon
Visually, the ID. Buzz is unmistakable. The retro design cues, such as the oversized VW logo and two-tone paint, immediately take you back to the glory days of the original Microbus. Yet, it’s not just a nostalgia trip—the sleek lines and LED lighting give it a futuristic appeal. As I drove through the winding roads north of San Francisco and back onto the highway, I couldn’t help but notice the attention it received. Heads turned, people pointed, and it felt like driving a piece of history reinvented for today. Every pit stop we made, someone came up to me asking about it and told me stories of their experiences with the original model. You could feel the nostalgia from everyone.
While the ID. Buzz captures the spirit of the original Microbus, it’s a completely different beast under the hood. The classic Microbus was known for its simplicity, rear-mounted air-cooled engine, and modest power. In contrast, the new ID. Buzz features an all-electric powertrain, offering significantly more horsepower and modern EV technology. It’s designed with advanced safety features, fast charging capabilities, and a sleek aerodynamic profile that the original could only dream of. The essence of the beloved Microbus remains, but the ID. Buzz is undeniably a vehicle built for the future.
Nimble and smooth
Behind the wheel, the ID. Buzz feels far more agile than you’d expect from a vehicle of this size. Thanks to its low center of gravity, courtesy of the battery placement, and its impressive turning radius, it handles like a much smaller car. I was driving the Pro S Plus RWD version, and navigating sharp curves and tight spots felt remarkably easy. On the winding roads, the ID. Buzz maintained its composure, offering great traction and a smooth, almost effortless ride.
Highway driving was equally impressive. The electric powertrain delivered instant torque, making acceleration smooth and responsive. So even though it wont go 0-60 mph in 3 seconds it still is able to do that in 6 seconds, allowing you to overtake cars and merge onto highways with ease. There’s no engine noise to speak of, so the cabin remains peaceful—a nice touch for long drives. One of the more impressive aspects I notice was the lack of outside noise. For a car with so much volume and no white engine noise, it was insanely quiet. Much quieter than my Model Y. And while the ID. Buzz is a large vehicle, it never felt cumbersome, whether I was cruising at highway speeds or handling more intricate driving situations.
Comfort and space
Step inside, and the ID. Buzz continues to impress. The cabin is vast, offering more space than many full-size SUVs, yet the vehicle’s footprint is closer to that of a midsize crossover. The high-quality finishes (which most comst standard) give it a refined, yet welcoming feel. The seats were supportive and comfortable, perfect for long drives, and the overall layout of the interior felt well-thought-out and practical. Every trim comes with heated seats throughout the car, and ventilated seats for the front row. While the trim I had, also came with a massage setting which was a nice surprise.
There’s room for up to seven passengers, and with the rear seats folded down, a cavernous 145.5 cubic feet of cargo space awaits. It also ahs eight 45W USB-C ports throughout the car, giving enough power to charge even your Macbook and there is even a wireless charger for the front passengers. There were also other smaller details you notice like the HUD for the driver as well as a light bar under the windshield that actually has a function aside from aesthetics. It will blink one way when its time to turn, or turn red when it needs you to touch the wheel while using the drive assist. Love the form and function. Whether you’re planning a family road trip or need extra space for an outdoor adventure, the ID. Buzz has you covered.
Pricing and Availability
The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz is expected to be available later this year. While pre-orders are not open yet, you can visit the Volkswagen website to configure your exact model and see detailed pricing based on your preferences.
- Pro S RWD: Starting at $59,995, offering a great balance of range, power, and features.
- Pro S Plus AWD: Available at $63,495 for RWD and $67,995 for AWD, with additional premium features.
- 1st Edition: A special launch model with unique badging and features, starting at $65,495 for RWD and $69,995 for AWD.
With its mix of iconic design, modern EV technology, and practical features, the ID. Buzz is set to be a popular choice once it hits dealerships.
My takeaway
Overall, driving the Volkswagen ID. Buzz was a great experience. I was surprised how they were able to give me that nostagic feel but in a car that can easily be used as an everyday car. Before seeing it in person and driving it, I thought to myself “this is a cool looking car but is it practical as your daily driver”? The answer is, yes. I bet we see more of these on the road than you think. It’s ideal for families, adventurers, or anyone in need of a spacious, versatile vehicle that’s fun to drive. I can see myself using this to take my kids to a soccer or hockey practice. I can see us using this for our yearly road trip from New Jersey To Florida and back comfortably. Whether you’re cruising through the city or tackling a road trip, the ID. Buzz has the space, power, and charm to keep you smiling the whole way.
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Environment
More Iran sanctions and ‘drill baby, drill’: Oil market’s future is still uncertain under Trump
Offshore workers examine hydrocarbon samples aboard the Chevron Corp. Jack/St. Malo deepwater oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, U.S., on Friday, May 18, 2018.
Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty Images
U.S. oil producers are looking forward to less regulations on crude production under a Donald Trump presidency, meaning higher oil supply and consequently lower prices.
But it’s not that straightforward: Trump who was announced Wednesday as the winner of the 2024 election, has also vowed to put more sanctions on Iranian and Venezuelan barrels, meaning the global market could become tighter, potentially boosting prices.
At the same time, the increased likelihood of trade wars under Trump could dampen global economic growth and slow oil demand. So the picture for the market’s longer-term outlook is, well, decidedly mixed.
“Conceptually, the impact of a potential second Trump term on oil prices is ambiguous, with some short-term downside risk to Iran oil supply … and thus upside price risk,” Goldman Sachs commodities analysts wrote in a research note Monday. “But medium-term downside risk to oil demand and thus oil prices from downside risk to global GDP from a potential escalation in trade tensions.”
Trump expressed his enthusiasm for increased U.S. oil production while giving a speech from the Republican campaign headquarters in Florida on Wednesday, just hours before his victory was confirmed. He made a reference to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the independent candidate who he said would become a part of his team.
“Bobby, stay away from the oil, stay away from the liquid gold!” Trump said in a joking tone. “We have more than Saudi Arabia and Russia.” Kennedy is known for his history of environmental activism.
U.S. oil and gas production hit record highs under the Biden administration, which gradually changed its approach to the industry despite campaigning on pledges of environmental stewardship.
U.S. crude futures — both West Texas Intermediate and international benchmark Brent crude — are currently trading in the $70 to $75 per barrel range, which is lower than what many oil producers seek to balance their costs and budgets amid slowed global demand for oil and growing supply.
But a further push to open drilling projects, putting more supply on the market, would lead to lower prices, thereby decreasing revenues for American producers, said Cole Smead, president and CEO of Smead Capital.
“If the Trump administration opens up federal leases for oil and gas, Federal lands would get 25% per barrel of revenues. You will have a lot of trouble finding an oil company that can make money at $52.50 per barrel with what they have left from a $70 barrel,” Smead said in emailed notes. “The only thing that will cause drill baby drill to happen is higher oil prices based on these margins.”
“Drill baby, drill is going to run into the energy vigilantes,” he added. “Now that equity investors in the energy business know what free cash flow looks like they won’t give it up. They will allow capital expenditures to go up over their dead body.”
‘Clear competitive advantage’
The U.S. is the world’s largest oil producer, accounting for 22% of the global total, according to the Energy Information Administration, with Saudi Arabia next, producing 11%. The vast majority of U.S. crude is consumed within the country, which is also the world’s largest oil consumer.
The CEO of French oil major TotalEnergies told CNBC over the weekend that whoever wins the presidency should ensure that the U.S. doesn’t lose its energy advantage.
“U.S. energy has been unleashed … since the last two, three years, production of oil has never been so high,” in the country, Patrick Pouyanne told CNBC in Abu Dhabi.
“For me, today, the U.S. has a clear competitive advantage on energy compared to many [in the] rest of the world,” he said. “So I will be surprised to see whoever is elected lose the competitive advantage.”
Many in the market forecast lower crude prices due to Trump’s encouragement of domestic oil production and greater supply. Amrita Sen, founder and director of research at London-based Energy Aspects, sees it differently due to the specter of sanctions.
“Every hedge fund I’ve spoken to thinks bearish, because [Trump has] tended to tweet about low oil prices … I actually think it’s the opposite,” she said. “There’s an enormous amount of sanctioned barrels right now in the market, especially Iranian volumes.” Iran is currently producing 3.5 million barrels per day of crude or more, Sen said, with 1.8 million of those being exported, as sanctions and their enforcement loosened under the Biden administration.
“You could lose a million barrels per day of that … when Trump was in power, Iranian exports were just 400,000 barrels per day,” Sen said. “Now I’m not saying it’s going to go down all the way, because smuggling networks are bigger and better probably now, but you could lose a million there,” she said, adding that some Venezuelan barrels could go off the market as well.
For Smead, the outlook is bearish, as he predicts lower prices putting many producers — particularly those with higher production costs — in a less-than-ideal situation.
“The price of goods that are produced is the number one factor in America’s policies,” he said. “If you are not the low-cost producer, you should be scared.”
Environment
Toyota will hold off on EV investment decisions until ‘the very last moment’ as profits slip
Toyota is tightening the reins after seeing its first quarterly profit drop in two years. To maintain profits, Toyota plans to “hold off on investment decisions until the very last moment,” including EV and hybrid investments.
Toyota announced that its operating income in the first half of fiscal 2025 fell to around $16 billion (2.64 trillion yen).
In the second quarter, operating profit slipped 20% to about $7.55 billion (1.16 trillion yen), Toyota’s first quarterly profit loss in two years.
The lower profits are due to fewer car sales caused by certification issues that caused Toyota to pause production of its popular Yariss Cross and Corolla Fielder in Japan. A Prius recall in the US also led to fewer cars being sold globally.
As a result, Toyota’s global output fell for the first time in four years in the first half of fiscal 2025. Toyota built 4.71 million vehicles, down 7% from its record 5.06 million vehicles produced last year.
Toyota’s domestic output fell 9.4%, while overseas production dropped 6%. The company was hit especially hard in China, where domestic automakers like BYD continue squeezing foreign automakers out of the market with competitive, low-cost EVs.
Toyota to hold off on EV investments until last moment
Although Toyota said production is expected to recover in the second half of the fiscal year, the full-year total is expected to be 9.4 million, which is 100,000 vehicles less than last year.
Toyota’s vice president, Yoichi Miyazaki, outlined how Toyota plans to maintain operating income while still investing in the company’s future.
With EV and other next-gen tech investments dragging down profits, Toyota will “hold off on HEV, PHEV, BEV, or FCEV” investment decisions until “the very last moment,” Miyazaki said. The company plans to closely monitor the market before making a decision.
Meanwhile, the company is still advancing new tech, including advanced EV batteries. Toyota’s vice president confirmed the company is developing three types of EV batteries in-house: Ternary, LFP, and all-solid-state.
In March, Toyota’s battery unit (Toyota Battery) became a wholly owned subsidiary. The company said the move helps “optimize timing” and is crucial for mass-producing different types of batteries.
“There are two main things we want to accomplish,” Miyazaki explained. The first “is to increase how quickly we can respond to environmental changes in an age in which it is hard to predict the future.” Secondly, it is “to improve the fundamental capabilities that will enable us to carry on into the future.”
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Donald Trump wins a second presidential term, and BMW’s CEO Oliver Zipse came out with some quick remarks – amid what is likely panic among European automakers – that BMW will be fine because of its “very, very large footprint in the US.” Meanwhile, BMW’s profit margins hit a four-year low.
European automakers are now assessing the Trump victory and what that may mean for their businesses, as shares plummet today due to fears over escalating trade disputes. It’s no secret Trump’s stance on electric vehicles – despite bringing Elon Musk into the fold – and foreign goods, and his second term will likely see an unraveling of Biden’s investments in green energy, a rolling back on EV mandates and other policies aimed at cutting CO2 emissions alongside stricter tariffs on foreign-made vehicles, and a total abandonment of US involvement in the Paris Climate Accords. Of course, the news this morning hit hard for some automakers in Europe, adding to a mountain of problems amid low sales in key markets, both at home in Europe and in China.
But Zipse says BMW can likely breathe a sigh of relief since the company has even “more of an advantage” despite what will be higher tariffs due to having a huge footprint in the US, Reuters reported.
The remarks came this morning central Europe time after Trump proclaimed he had taken the win, with Zipse presenting BMW’s third-quarter results. “In this respect, we shouldn’t be too nervous about what might happen,” Zipse said.
BMW has the group’s largest factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in addition to 30 locations around the country in 12 states, the report said.
BMW’s third-quarter profit fell 61% to 1.7 billion euros ($1.82 billion) due to lagging sales in China, the US, and Europe, Reuters reported. Bloomberg also reported that “BMW AG’s main measure of profitability fell to the lowest in more than four years in the third quarter,” the fallout from the massive recall of 1.5 million vehicles due to a faulty braking system supplied by Contential and weak demand in the Chinese market. Still, despite these hardships, BMW has said that it increased its sales of fully electric vehicles by +19,1% in the first nine months of this year, with a total of 294,054 BEVs delivered. BMW added that sales of BEVs rose by +22.6% to 266,151 vehicles, with the Mini brand seeing its fully-electric vehicle sales grow by +54.3% in the third quarter.
We’ll likely hear some response from other automakers on Trump’s win soon. “We’re expecting that it will be difficult for car makers and exporters this morning,” Nicolas Forest, chief investment officer at Candriam, told Reuters. “Trump could implement tariffs through executive orders, so for German carmakers or French luxury groups, everything Europe exports, it’s a risk.”
The election news is extremely fresh, but Trump has suggested a 10% or more tariffs on goods imported into the US, while giving him the option to set higher tariffs on certain countries that have put tariffs on US imports. He has suggested imposing as high as 200% tariffs on some imported cars, and wants to keep cars from Mexico out of the country. China’s BYD, for one, has paused its plan to build a factory in Mexico, which would be a key production site for access into the US, until after the election. BMW plans to start building its next-gen BEVs dubbed the “Neue Klasse” in Mexico in 2027.
Trump of course has China in his crosshairs and plans to phase out Chinese imports during his second term, while also prohibiting Chinese companies from owning US real estate and infrastructure in the energy and tech sectors.
Photo: BMW
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