Here's What You Need to Know About the Volkswagen ID Beach Buggy

author: Manish Kharinta   

German automaker Volkswagen AG took to the 2019 Concurs d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, California last month to present its futuristic reimagining of the classic VW Beach Buggy. 

VW's all-electric ID Buggy is based on the company's modular MEB platform. According to the company, the concept car draws its inspiration from the California beach buggies of the 1960's and 70's in an attempt to present a new fun take on e-mobility. 

The concept car does not feature any fixed doors, or even a roof for that matter. The interior of Volkswagen ID Buggy is extremely stripped down and was designed to be as sturdy and weather resistant as possible. Even the "PRND" drive selector has been redesigned as a compact toggle switch located behind the steering wheel. 

Passengers can even hose down the interior when it gets dirty after a day at the beach, without worrying about damaging any expensive gadgets or delicate panel surfaces thanks to the water-resistant interior.

Minimalistic as it might be, Volkswagen ID Buggy's cabin features some fun and quirky design elements that embody the original Buggy's free spirit. 

For instance, the accelerator pedal has a play button symbol engraved on it whereas the brake pedal is embossed with a pause button. This complements the unique audio system, which includes a detachable Bluetooth speaker that passengers can carry with them on the go.

The VW ID buggy is powered by a 62 kWh battery pack, which offers up to 155 miles of WLTP range. The power goes to an electric motor located on the rear axle which manages to produce 204 horsepower and 228 lb-fts of peak torque. 

In the single-motor setup, the Volkswagen ID Buggy can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under 7.2 seconds up to an electronically-limited top speed of 99 mph. 

VW also offers the option of an all-wheel-drive setup. The all-wheel-drive models have an additional electric motor on the front axle to drive the front wheels.The batteries are located low on the floor in a classic EV fashion. 

Volkswagen intends to license the electric chassis of the ID Buggy to other manufacturers who currently do not have their own EV offerings. This way manufacturers will be able to develop their own EVs without incurring massive research and development costs. Instead, companies can simply license the platform from Volkswagen.

This is quite symbolic, as the original Beach Buggy shared its platform with the Volkswagen Beetle. 

It's quite possible there will soon be a wide range of new battery-powered vehicles hitting the market using the ID Buggy MEB architecture.

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.