Automotive

Volkswagen's ID. Buggy puts its electric signature in the sand

Volkswagen's ID. Buggy puts its electric signature in the sand
Looking to mix a bit of beach cruising culture from a bygone era with some new-age drivetrain technology, Volkswagen debuted its super-cute electrified dune buggy at Geneva earlier in the year
Looking to mix a bit of beach cruising culture from a bygone era with some new-age drivetrain technology, Volkswagen debuted its super-cute electrified dune buggy at Geneva earlier in the year
View 10 Images
The VW ID. Buggy features an electric motor built onto the rear axle and works with a single-speed gearbox to create 201 horsepower and maximum torque of 228 lb-ft
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The VW ID. Buggy features an electric motor built onto the rear axle and works with a single-speed gearbox to create 201 horsepower and maximum torque of 228 lb-ft
Looking to mix a bit of beach cruising culture from a bygone era with some new-age drivetrain technology, Volkswagen debuted its super-cute electrified dune buggy at Geneva earlier in the year
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Looking to mix a bit of beach cruising culture from a bygone era with some new-age drivetrain technology, Volkswagen debuted its super-cute electrified dune buggy at Geneva earlier in the year
The VW ID. Buggy in action
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The VW ID. Buggy in action
The VW ID. Buggy in action
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The VW ID. Buggy in action
The VW ID. Buggy in action
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The VW ID. Buggy in action
A peek inside the VW ID. Buggy
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A peek inside the VW ID. Buggy
The VW ID. Buggy alongside a Meyers Manx dune buggy
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The VW ID. Buggy alongside a Meyers Manx dune buggy
The VW ID. Buggy features an electric motor built onto the rear axle and works with a single-speed gearbox to create 201 horsepower and maximum torque of 228 lb-ft
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The VW ID. Buggy features an electric motor built onto the rear axle and works with a single-speed gearbox to create 201 horsepower and maximum torque of 228 lb-ft
The VW ID. Buggy alongside a Meyers Manx dune buggy
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The VW ID. Buggy alongside a Meyers Manx dune buggy
The VW ID. Buggy alongside a Meyers Manx dune buggy
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The VW ID. Buggy alongside a Meyers Manx dune buggy
View gallery - 10 images

The Germans let their retro-inspired electric dune cruiser off the leash.

Looking to mix a bit of beach cruising culture from a bygone era with some new-age drivetrain technology, Volkswagen debuted its super-cute electrified dune buggy at Geneva earlier in the year. The automaker is again showing off the stylish retro cruiser as part of Monterey Car Week, marking the occasion by setting it free on the sand alongside the inspiration for the design, a Meyers Manx dune buggy in a original 60s-era styling.

With their rear engine configuration and hardy suspension, the Volkswagen Beetle of the 1960s proved a popular choice for mod-shops looking to spend more time in the sand. Among those carving dune buggies out the iconic cars was boatbuilder and engineer Bruce Meyers, whose Meyers Manx fiberglass-reinforced dune buggy is considered the original of its class.

The VW ID. Buggy alongside a Meyers Manx dune buggy
The VW ID. Buggy alongside a Meyers Manx dune buggy

VW is looking to recapture the inventive spirit shown by Manx with the all-electric modular ID. Buggy. Staying true to the dune buggies of old, it features no roof and no doors, but the composite upper body can be pulled off the chassis to allow custom vehicle makers to go to town.

The electric motor is built onto the rear axle and works with a single-speed gearbox to create 201 hp (150 kW) and maximum torque of 228 lb-ft (309 Nm). The 62-kWh battery is built into the floor and allows for 155 mi (250 km) of range, while the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint time is listed as 7.2 seconds and top speed is limited to 99 mph (160 km/h).

The VW ID. Buggy in action
The VW ID. Buggy in action

Its capabilities can be witnessed in the video below, which features an interview with Meyers and a Meyers Manx dune buggy tearing through the sand alongside the VW ID. Buggy.

Source: Volkswagen

View gallery - 10 images
2 comments
2 comments
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that is both cool and green.
ljaques
I hate to see the price on that little bugger.