VW Knows What's Wrong With The ID Buzz And Plans To Fix It

The Volkswagen ID Buzz might be one of the most unique-looking family haulers with references to the iconic microbus, but it is far from being a sales hit — especially in the U.S. market. With the VW Group planning to axe half of its models by 2035, many feared this could spell the end for the retro-futuristic EV. Still, the company boss has officially confirmed that a new generation is already under development, aiming to correct everything that's wrong with the current model. 

The production ID Buzz was unveiled in 2022, following the concept from 2017. In April 2026, Volkswagen announced a series of updates for the European version, including a new infotainment system, vehicle-to-load functionality, and physical buttons on the steering wheel, although the controversial touch sliders were carried over. In North America, the VW EV was launched in mid-2023 for the 2025 model year, but skipped 2026 and 2027 promising an ID Buzz comeback for 2028 with the previous European updates and a NACS port. 

While a more substantial facelift could extend the lifecycle of the model well into the next decade, it seems that Volkswagen is already working on a second-generation model. The news was confirmed by VW CEO, Thomas Schäfer, who spoke to Auto Express during the 2026 Paris Motor Show. When asked about the next ID Buzz, Schäfer said "they're working on it", confirming that it will ditch the current MEB architecture for the more advanced Scalable Systems Platform (SSP).

Volkswagen's CEO said that the ID Buzz is iconic, and that Americans love it despite sluggish sales that failed to meet initial expectations. Schäfer admitted that the electric minivan is "on the wrong cost base", with current pricing making it "difficult to really be successful and get into volume in the market". In this context, one of the priorities for the next ID Buzz will be to make it cheaper. According to Schäfer, this could be made possible with lithium-ion phosphate battery packs and other cost-saving measures that will be gradually applied to the model. 

Besides being more accessible, the new generation will also be more advanced. Its modular SSP underpinnings — expected to debut in the ID Touareg before the end of the decade — will bring longer range and faster charging times across the entire VW portfolio, making a case for a more usable minivan. For context, the current ID Buzz offers up to 234 miles of EPA range from the 86-kWh battery pack of the long-wheelbase variant. 

The debut of the next-gen ID Buzz is still several years away, likely arriving after 2030. However, VW Group's Head of Design, Andreas Mindt, gave us a few hints about where it will be heading in terms of styling. Interestingly, the answer is not always going retro. 

As reported by Auto Express, Mindt said, "I don't want to repeat a design over and over again, I think there's a dead end to it. We had that with the new Beetle. You do one Beetle, then another and then people get tired. How can you succeed from there? There's a stop somewhere when you go down this path. We did it already and we found it's no good." These comments suggest that the minivan could adopt a fresh design rather than evolving the same theme. 

Mindt explained, "When you have a van, it doesn't have too much character; one white van looks like the other white van. So what do you do to make it interesting? Well the ID Buzz is one of the interesting ones and when I do a van, I want to make an interesting one. This I can promise you in the future: it will be interesting." According to Mindt, the core values of VW design are "stable, likeable and secret sauce", with the ID Buzz apparently requiring a lot of that sauce.

It's safe to assume that the ID Buzz will adopt the latest interior design trends featured on newer Volkswagen EVs. This might happen sooner than the next generation, if the automaker decides to give the current model a substantial mid-lifecycle update. In any case, expect the minivan to gain physical climate controls, a larger digital instrument cluster with retro dials, and nicer materials. At the same time, it will most likely retain the modular seating layout with loads of in-cabin storage. 

VW unveiled the ID Buzz California in August 2026, which is expected to live on as the electric member of the growing camper lineup. Finally, the GTX performance ID Buzz flagship with dual electric motors producing 335 horsepower could be replaced by a GTI-branded version. As for the name of the future microbus, VW has set the tone with the new ID Polo, ID Cross, ID Tiguan, and the upcoming ID Golf, reviving familiar monikers. Schäfer said that while they won't reuse every single name from their past, they need to lean on the icons. The CEO explained that this is what differentiates Volkswagen from new brands with no history, seemingly pointing fingers at Chinese automakers.