The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV :: Is It the Next Best Overland Campervan?

If you’re a #vanlife person and live in the United States, vans like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster, or conversions from Quigley or Sportsmobile may be the first vehicles that come to mind. But as the next generation of adventure vans hits the market, some may be electrified, changing the way we travel. I flew to San Francisco, California, to join the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV first-drive program to see how this electrified newcomer would fare against the bigger, more established campervans in our market. Nearly all overlanding vehicles are currently gasoline or diesel-powered. But what if long-distance traveling is possible and perhaps even enjoyable with an EV? 

All-Electric Experiences

I know a thing or two about EV overlanding and off-roading electric vehicles. To date, I’ve logged approximately 6,500 competitive miles with all-electric autos throughout 10 countries. Hundreds more miles can be added to my total from driving the Hummer 3X EV SUV, various Volkswagen ID.4s, and many other makes over the last few years.  

In 2021, I was Volkswagen’s driver on record as the first EV crossover team to compete in and successfully finish the Rebelle Rally with its newly released all-wheel-drive ID.4 SUV. It was a 1,500-mile off-road competition where teams used only topographic maps, a compass, and a sense of adventure to compete. GPS, smartphones, or other tech were not allowed. 

I also partnered with my husband, Andy Lilienthal, and competed in the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally (BSCR), the northernmost rally in the world. We were the only all-electric team this year, as well as the first EV pair outside of Europe to compete in this nine-country, 16-day, and 5,000-mile excursion around the Baltic Sea. Andy and I piloted an early 2024 German-market short-wheelbase Volkswagen ID. Buzz Pro for the event. 

Overlanding an EV

Europe has a miscellaneous patchwork of private charging companies. Charging apps, charging cards, or RFID keys must be used to charge EVs, as most won’t accept credit card payments if you don’t have the above-mentioned ways to connect. If you don’t live over there, it’s difficult or next-to-near impossible to pay for charging. Apps won’t download to US-based phones if you attempt to download them before leaving. We learned most companies require an EU-based home and shipping address to create accounts. Many charging companies we researched should’ve worked in all nine countries but didn’t when we were there. Only 2 of the 36 total rally charges we needed during the nine-country Baltic Sea Circle Rally allowed direct credit card payments. 

However, that doesn’t mean traveling overseas with your electrified campervan isn’t possible. We got help from my German-based family. My nephew lent us an old iPhone to use for the rally. He uploaded the apps we needed, created accounts using their address and a new German-based email address under my name (I’m a dual citizen German-American), and used my credit card information. That did the trick! We also successfully downloaded additional charging apps with his phone and our US-based phones during the competition, making sure the BSCR finish line became a reality 5,000 miles later. 

Note: The European Union is working to mandate all new chargers and retrofit existing ones with direct credit card payment opportunities, but that transition is still a few years away. 

How the United States Stacks Up

The United States, conversely, allows subscriptions to many charging companies, but customers can pay for charging via credit cards with no accounts, too. However, the frequency of charging stations is less in many areas, and from what we’ve experienced, they’re broken more often. 

Patience and flexibility are key when traveling long distances with an EV—no matter where you go.

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz EV Stats

The North American-spec Volkswagen ID. Buzz comes to our shores as a sole long-wheelbase model. It’s 195.4 inches long, 76.2 inches tall, and 78.1 inches wide (without mirrors). The ID. Buzz EV has a 127.5-inch wheelbase and is available in 4Motion all-wheel-drive (AWD) and rear-wheel-drive (RWD) iterations. 

Volkswagen’s 4Motion AWD ID. Buzz models boast 335 horsepower and six seats, whereas RWD models feature 282 horsepower and can house seven passengers in stock form. VW states that its North American (NA) AWD iteration has 413 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheels and 99 pound-feet at the front. The RWD model has 413 pound-feet of torque.

North American ID. Buzz vans feature an EPA-estimated range of 231 miles for 4Motion AWD models and 234 miles for RWD variants—lower than our early 2024, German-made rally van. The NA 4Motion AWD ID. Buzz has an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 87 MPGe city, 74 MPGe highway, and 80 MPGe combined. The RWD gets 90 MPGe city, 75 MPGe highway, and 83 MPGe combined.

NA ID. Buzz EVs have a 91-kilowatt-hour battery (gross) and a DC acceptance rate that can charge up to 200 kilowatts. They boast a DC fast charger rate of 10-80% in under half an hour (as fast as 26 minutes, to be precise), too. All ID. Buzz vans use a CCS charge port.

Both ID Buzz variations showcase 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels but have different all-season tire sizes front and rear (235/50R20, front; 265/45R20, rear). This is to minimize rolling resistance. First Edition models feature funky white wheels with a matte-silver disc. Regular trims will have a silver wheel with a gloss-black disc. How well will they clean up once dirty? This wheel design is meant to optimize airflow for the lowest amount of drag. They also pay homage to the original 1950s Microbus. 

The German-made NA ID. Buzz models start with an MSRP at $59,995 for the Pro S, Pro S Plus at $63,495, and the launch-only 1st Edition at $65,495. Destination across the board is an extra $1,550. Since they’re made overseas, US tax credits won’t be applicable to those who outright buy an NA ID. Buzz, but only to those who lease them.

Weights, Ratings, and Other Things

The NA 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz has a curb weight of 6,197 pounds for its 4Motion AWD model and 5,968 pounds for its RWD derivative. Overall, the gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR, is 7,408 pounds, with its payload differing at 948 pounds for the 4Motion AWD vans compared to 1,113 for its RWD models. Towing capacity for unbraked trailers is 1,650 for the lineup, but the 4Motion pulls more at 3,500 pounds, whereas the RWD ID. Buzz tops out at 2,600 pounds. 

The ID. Buzz features a strut-type front suspension, including lower control arms, coil springs, telescopic dampers, and an anti-roll bar. The rear has a compact multi-link suspension incorporating coil springs, telescopic dampers, and an anti-roll bar. The chassis and body are made from steel, though pieces of the suspension are made of aluminum to reduce weight.

Colorful Choices

Volkswagen showcases unique NA color combos: eight two-tone and three single-tone exterior options. Seven of the dual-color van variations have a white top with a full-color bottom, except the metro silver and cherry red combo, featuring a non-conventional silver upper half. If you’re more of a monotone color fan, the vans can be had in candy white, metro silver, or deep black pearl. 

A trio of interior colors are available: copper, dune (light cream with orange accents), and moonlight (including dark brown seats and dashes of royal blue accents). Our German-spec ID. Buzz was a fun mint green color called bay leaf green metallic. However, I learned it’s called mahi green in North America and is only available in a two-color paint scheme.  

Although there isn’t a high-roof option, the ID. Buzz lineup has an available glass sunroof measuring 60.6 inches long and 36.6 inches wide. It can go from clear to opaque with a swipe of your finger. The glass has a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) layer incorporated into the glass. Electrical current is applied to the crystals to generate transparency, with total opacity occurring when the PDLC layer is de-energized. It’s a cool feature, but I wonder about its repair cost and durability. The glass roof is available on Pro S Plus models and standard on first-edition vans.

Technology and More

The NA ID. Buzz features a 12.9-inch central infotainment display and a 5.3-inch driver’s screen that includes a ton of tech. Along with Volkswagen’s IQ.DRIVE advanced driver assistance technology, the NA ID. Buzz has gobs of tech to keep you safe, connected, charged, and alert. This is an updated, newer ID.4 tech setup and a larger screen than what our early-generation German-spec model had.

A head-up display is standard on the Pro S Plus and first-edition trims, but with my 5’4” stature and the seat cranked up, I could only see the top portion of it. I’m not sure if it’s adjustable.

The ID. Buzz has eight USB-C outlets and an optional AC outlet sitting directly at the base of the passenger seat. I’m glad they have an AC outlet, but I wish it were in another location. I kept knocking plugs out of its socket by accident when using it. It also has a 12-volt outlet in the rear, great for powering devices or a fridge. However, it’s only on when the vehicle itself is on. I got confirmation that previous software versions didn’t have this enabled as a constant-on feature, either, but it appears it’s an easy/popular fuse modification to make if owners would prefer it that way. Note: This switch may have been made on our early-gen 2024 ID. Buzz we had in Europe to keep it constantly enabled. I’d love to see this outlet have constant power for future iterations, as well as another 12-volt outlet up front to charge devices.

Camping Options

Our German-spec ID. Buzz test mule had a QUQUQ BusBox-4 interior camping setup, allowing us to sleep, cook, and store food within it during the BSCR. This interior camping setup is sold in the US by RRE-Global LLC. It was then that I realized just how good the ID. Buzz EV van could be as a campervan, even in stock form, with a modular and removable build-out. This could just be the next #vanlife vehicle if it’s properly set up as such. 

As long as you plan in advance where to charge and camp overnight, the rest will fall into place—most of the time. We realized during the BSCR that it was imperative to charge in cities with more than one option. This is in case a charger is broken, inaccessible, or being used by other EVs (which have all happened to us). 

2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz Thoughts

Both NA ID. Buzz vans had a lot more power than our German-spec rally rig and were very enjoyable to drive. The 4Motion AWD ID. Buzz seemed to stick to the tarmac like glue, though I didn’t have the chance to test it on off-pavement surfaces. The RWD model drove well but seemed to list more in corners. It felt less sporty when compared to its higher-horsepower all-wheel-drive sibling on narrow and tight roads. That may be due to possible differences in spring and damper tuning or the model’s anti-roll bar size.

Both models have lots of storage space and can have rear-seat deletes for the ultimate in customized campervan potential. However, if you’d like to keep your seats and have the best of both worlds as we did overseas, check out the aforementioned QUQUQ BusBox-4 system. It has a fold-out bed that stows atop the cooking/base setup when not in use, so customers can still use all seats. When in campervan mode, the bed sits on top of the second-row seats, creating an ideal sleeping platform.

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is set to captivate folks from all walks of life. If you get this #vanlife EV, set aside time whenever you stop, as it’s a fun and colorful showstopper no matter where you go. 

vw.com

Read more: Van Conversion Companies :: Buyers Guide

Images: Mercedes Lilienthal (unless otherwise credited)

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