Volkswagen ID. Buggy concept unveiled at Geneva Motor Show

The electric buggy can also be fun, to confirm that at the Geneva Motor Show is Volkswagen, which in the electric mobility will invest something like 9 billion euros by 2023. With the ID. BUGGY , the concept that incorporates the philosophy of the legendary Dune Buggy that invaded the beaches of California in the 60s, the German brand updates the key concepts of a vehicle designed for pure driving fun .

Fifth member of the concept electric family ID., the ID. BUGGY represents the modern interpretation of an icon that rests its foundations on the Beetle: the iconic model of the Volkswagen brand that a fresh and colorful vehicle was born, designed to easily disentangle both on the dunes and on the most evocative promenades seaside resorts of the West Coast.

Today, after 60 years, the most iconic model of Volkswagen (in the plans of the manufacturer) could become the ID., The 100% electric vans waiting by the end of 2019 on the MEB modular platform . An architecture, the latter, which represents the big bet of Volkswagen for the next decade: the goal, moreover, is to give life to 10 million electric vehicles (including the Audi, Seat and Skoda brands) in the first “tranche” “which will be exhausted before 2025.

The design of the Dune Buggy of the third millennium, curated by a team led by Klaus Bischoff , is a synthesis between the typical elements of this type of vehicle and the traits we will find on the electric Volkswagen that we will see on the road starting from 2020. The front, from nice appearance, reminiscent of the Beetle and the Bulli, thanks to the round headlights (now with LED technology), the pronounced fenders and the total absence of grille and loopholes . A solution that was possible in the 1960s (the Beetle had an air-cooled rear engine) and today (the electric motor does not require large air intakes).

The side is free from bulky doors , and even the hard roof has been removed , the body made of aluminum, steel and plastic (painted with the bright matte Green feature) can be personalized thanks to a removable upper floating structure.The purpose is to make the car customization “open source”, relying on third-parties.

At the rear, the car takes the style of the front, with circular optical groups and two red hooks in the bumpers designed to pull out other vehicles (or vice versa). The lower area, in contrasting color Gray Tech Blue , makes the whole collection even more “offroad”. The overall dimensions are compact: 4,063 mm long, 1,890 mm wide and 1,463 mm high , with a 2,650 mm wheelbase, while the 240 mm height from the ground makes it suitable for “extreme” use.

Inside, ID. BUGGY is a hymn to simplicity and sympathy: the hexagonal steering wheel, with touch keys , allows you to access the contents of the infotainment, reduced to a small digital instrumentation in front of the driver. The technical fabrics and coatings, which reflect the color mood of the exterior, offer protection from water, dust and sand for maximum practicality (the steering wheel, for example, is covered in water-repellent leather).

Beneath the body is a 100% electric powertrain , consisting of a 150 kW (204 bhp) engine and 310 Nm of torque , capable of pushing the electric buggy to 100 km / h in 7.2 seconds (with 160 km / h of maximum speed). The traction is rear, but if necessary you can opt for a further engine to move the front wheels.

The 62 kWh battery (integrated in the floor) allows the car to travel 250 km , counting an “active” use on the sand dunes. The recharge can be done in direct current with a maximum power of 100 kW : you can get 80% of the autonomy in about half an hour.