50 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | OCTOBER 2019
Fun, fun, fun...
CAR being a British magazine, my first question
to VW about the electric ID Buggy is this: what
happens when it rains? The answer: you get wet.
True, there is a piece of black tarp that can
be attached to the windscreen frame and the
targa bar, but it is little more than a token
gesture. Even though the cabin can allegedly
been cleaned with a hose, this car should swiftly
seek cover in bad weather – if only to protect
the cloth-lined, body-hugging and generously
adjustable carbonfibre bucket seats which come
straight out of the XL1 parts bin.
But it’s not about rainy Blackpool – it’s about
living the ’60s California dream, quietly, which
is why we’re on the Monterey peninsula on a
17-mile drive on road and on sand, to experi-
ence the Geneva Show concept which is being
seriously talked about as a possible production
model. But not yet – if it happens, it’s likely to
be the sixth member of the MEB family, which
kicks off this autumn with the Golf-style ID 3.
And not necessarily in this form; a shorter, more
Polo-sized version would make more sense for a
fun two-seater. Much depends on whether VW
can do deals with other companies who want to
create their own versions, much as the original
beach buggies were not VW products, but used
Beetle engines and chassis.
Tipping the scales at approximately 1500kg, it’s
powered by a single rear-mounted e-motor good
for 201hp and 229lb ft of torque. Four-wheel
drive is a possible option, with a front-mounted
additional e-motor. The windscreen frame and
rear targa bar provide rollover protection. And
although the dashboard is minimal – a solitary
oblong digital display, no sat-nav, no phone
docking station – it’s in keeping.
The gear (R-N-D) is selected by twisting the
right-hand toggle forward or back. Pushing it
engages Park. Its counterpart on the left doubles
as indicator and two-stage light switch.
Compared with the e-buggy, the 1967 Manx-
ster brought along by pioneer Bruce Meyers feels
like a synthesis of zero-SPF sunbed and vintage
fitness machine. The unassisted steering is
vague, the brakes weak, the clutch takes forever
to engage, the engine’s smoky. In the 2019
reincarnation, an intelligent all-encompassing
high-voltage system supports the instant-on
brakes and the easy yet sharp steering. The
single-speed transmission makes the clutch
obsolete, and the torque explosion never ceases
to amaze. But while Meyers’ plaything can be
filled to the brim in well under three minutes,
the VW for tomorrow’s beach boys needs at least
half an hour on a hard-to-find 100kW charger
before it is ready again for the next journey.
Think of it as a dry-land jet ski and it’s bold,
fun and clever. Think of it as a road car and...
maybe not.
GEORG KACHER
...until your battery runs flat and the tide comes in. Or it rains.
We sample the mixed pleasures of VW’s ID Buggy concept
First drives
VW ID BUGGY
THE FIRST HOUR
1 minute
No roof. No doors.
They’re serious about
recreating the original
vibe
2 minutes
Not much inside,
either. Close to being
hose-cleanable
3 minutes
Quickly away,
but this demo car is
restricted to about
25mph
26 minutes
Steering is light and
pin-sharp. Fun on sand
and tarmac
56 minutes
Passers-by love it,
and can’t quite believe
it’s pure electric
▲
PLUS
Clean, quiet fun
MINUS
▼
Great if you live near
a beach and can
guarantee sunshine
First verdict
Fascinating as much for showing VW’s thinking as
for its rather limited driving pleasure
★★★★★
PRICE
£25,000 (est)
POWERTRAIN
Electric motor,
62kWh battery, single-
speed transmission,
rear-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE
201bhp, 229lb ft,
7.2sec 0-62mph,
99mph (limited)
WEIGHT
1500kg
(est)
O N S A L E
2023 at the
earliest
Data
EFFICIENCY
0g/km CO2,
155-mile range
(est)
As simple as the ’60s originals, and a lot quieter
