Volkswagen Confirms Next-Gen ID. Buzz: Cheaper, Smarter, and Built on SSP

Volkswagen is preparing a fresh chapter for its electric minibus. At the 2026 Paris Auto Show, brand CEO Thomas Schäfer told Auto Express that a next-generation ID. Buzz is actively in development, and the central goal is straightforward: bring the price down. The current model, launched in the US in 2024 at roughly $60,000 with up to 234 miles of range, leaned heavily on nostalgia appeal but struggled to justify its sticker. Schäfer was blunt about the problem, noting the van sits on “the wrong cost base” — a hurdle the new version is meant to clear.

The next ID. Buzz will migrate to Volkswagen Group’s Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), the architecture VW is counting on to trim costs and underpin software-defined vehicles. That shift should translate into more range, quicker charging, and more capable software than today’s model. Schäfer also hinted that lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries could help push pricing even lower. Inside, expect the brand’s latest cabin layout and infotainment setup, including a return to physical buttons — a change VW has already rolled out across the new ID. Polo and ID. Tiguan.

Design is another focal point. VW design chief Andreas Mindt acknowledged that retro styling can wear thin with buyers — pointing to the modern Beetle as a cautionary example — but said the ID. Buzz will stay recognisable while evolving. He described the van as “one of the interesting ones” in VW’s lineup and promised that “lots of secret sauce” will keep it distinct, arguing that a plain commercial van has little character to work with.

The timeline remains loose. The first SSP-based EV was originally slated for 2026, but VW now says it will arrive “by the end of the decade,” with the new ID. Buzz expected to follow shortly after. Schäfer also suggested VW will not revive every heritage nameplate, though he argued iconic badges are worth keeping because newer brands lack that history.

In the nearer term, US buyers face a longer wait. Volkswagen has pushed the ID. Buzz’s American return to the 2028 model year, skipping 2026 entirely and moving straight to 2027. A company spokesperson confirmed the model isn’t being cancelled for the US, but demand has cooled sharply: VW moved just 432 ID. Buzz units in the third quarter, an 82.5% drop from nearly 2,500 a year earlier. The next-gen van’s success may hinge on whether lower pricing can convert curiosity into sales.