[Steverino]

More Press releases from VW. Real cars, later, sometime, maybe

A staple of coastal California’s towns, the Volkswagen Microbus will be reincarnated as an electric vehicle. VW announced that it will build a version of its I.D. Buzz concept bus, which it hopes to begin selling by 2022.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/19/...icrobus-i-d-buzz-concept-production-nostalgia

 

[HiFlite]

"Microbus Returns" is a line I've heard regularly for the past 30 years. One has to admit some sort of record by VW for delivering decades of headlines while otherwise delivering exactly zero such models for sale.

BTW, for those who have never driven an original, the bus was an amazingly crappy vehicle.

 

[llninja]

"Microbus Returns" is a line I've heard regularly for the past 30 years. One has to admit some sort of record by VW for delivering decades of headlines while otherwise delivering exactly zero such models for sale.

BTW, for those who have never driven an original, the bus was an amazingly crappy vehicle.

As amazingly crappy as it was (my wife had the original bus, my dad had a vanagon - the 80's reincarnation of the crappy bus) there was something to be said about a motor so simple that anyone with half a brain could overhaul it. My wife overhauled hers because she had no other options at the time. Lots of fond memories, interesting stories, adventures that made the journey more memorable. She even bought a little toy VW bus for herself from a recent museum visit. I'm guessing in 2022 when we start to see these, she'll be tugging at me to go get one.

Sadly, 2022 is far to long to wait. These EVs are popping out at a glacial pace. We need them NOW!!!!

 

[Steverino]

Apparently VW is allowing some reviewers to test drive a working concept vehicle. But VW is basically saying it will take 6 years to make a production car. That seems like a pretty long, as in, they may not have even started. I think it takes around 2 to 3 years to complete a new car based on using a previously designed chasis and power train, with only a body change. If everything is new, then it may take 3 to 5 years. Of course, it varies company to company. Maybe VW is padding because there is so much they don't know about making an EV?

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/auto/2022-volkswagen-i-d-buzz/preview/

 

[SolarExec]

If the reports are correct, the rollout especially to the US is going to be very slow. First [next gen] VWEV vehicles in US market look slated for ~2020 or later. I hope that the US manufacturers with proven platforms (Tesla and GM) will take advantage of their head start. GM needs to work on getting more appealing body styles onto the Bolt platform (and upsizing it to a compact or midsize instead of the sub-compact). Tesla needs to get its production ramped and launch the model Y by 2019.

 

[Upper5Percent]

2022 is coming...
http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/01/technology/driving-volkswagen-id-buzz/index.html?iid=SF_LN

 

[obermd]

Has VW rolled out any EVs or even PHEVs? If not, then six years is probably about right. VW is having to learn how to build an EV.

 

[volt spain]

VW E-GOLF,range 89 mies, price $30.000.

 

[llninja]

Has VW rolled out any EVs or even PHEVs? If not, then six years is probably about right. VW is having to learn how to build an EV.

I don't get why auto companies all feel like they need to make their own drivetrains and battery systems. I think For, VW, Chrysler, or anyone could leapfrog into a EVs by partnering with Tesla, GM, Nissan, or Faraday Futures, to get powertrains, bunch like the way Gettrag seems to make transmissions for anyone and LG and Panasonic make batteries for anyone.

 

[saghost]

Has VW rolled out any EVs or even PHEVs? If not, then six years is probably about right. VW is having to learn how to build an EV.

A couple EVs in Europe and the e-Golf both here and there, plus the GTE and A3 etron PHEVs.

All shared platforms, though they said they developed them for both sets of powertrains from the beginning.