Driving Volkswagen's all-electric pushchair concept – TechCrunch

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The electric VW The Buggy ID concept is charming and bright, sturdy and smiling. It is a vehicle adapted to the sun and sand dunes, or perhaps a less engaging ride on the beach.

And so my first training in an all-electric buggy prototype – along the coast near Spanish Bay in Monterey, California – was tinged with sadness. After all, the Buggy ID is only a concept. This is not done for this world. At least not now.

There is always a chance that the Buggy ID goes into production. VW is already in discussion with "at least one company" to put the buggy into production, confirmed TechCrunch.

The global launch of the ID Buggy concept at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show in March aimed to present VW's future in the field of electrical energy and demonstrate the versatility of its modular toolbox chassis. with electric drive, or MEB. The SEM, which was introduced in 2016, is a flexible modular system – in fact a matrix of common elements – for the production of electric vehicles which, according to VW, makes it more efficient and more economical.

The first vehicles to use this SEM platform will be under the ID brand, although this platform can and will be used for electric vehicles under other VW group brands such as Skoda and Seat. (The MEB will not be used by the VW, Audi or Porsche brands, which develop their own platform for electric vehicles.)

VW has introduced several identification concepts. Some of them, like ID Crozz and ID Buzz, come into production. A production version of the Crozz will be marketed in the United States in late 2020. Others, like this buggy, are not currently in production.

Drive the Buggy ID reader

The Buggy ID is simple and that's exactly what it should be. No clutter or confusion of fashionable creatures. This recreational vehicle inspired by the Meyers Manx of the 60s has neither roof nor door. A tarp can however be stretched between the windshield frame and the Targa bar to protect from the sun or bad weather. Without doors, the driver rides with relative ease, depending on his fitness and flexibility.

The Buggy ID dominates its inspiration: the iconic Meyers Manx buggy, which has become popular among the California beach and surf culture of the 1960s.

The Buggy ID was also quieter and smoother than the Meyers Manx. I also spent some time in a classic bright red buggy with a four-speed manual transmission and a gasoline engine that could have been a carburetor touch. While the Manx were roaring when I passed first and I was away, the electric badge was silent and quiet as it came out of the sandy parking lot.

The main detail inside Buggy ID is the lack of features and do-dads. The hexagonal flywheel shown above is not crowded with flip-flops; there are just a few commands on the crossbar. A small integrated butt on the right side of the steering wheel allows the driver to move the vehicle forward, back off and park. A group of digital instruments provides basic information such as speed.

Even the brake and throttle pedals continue this story of sleek design.

The dashboard and the passenger area are also devoid of features. This lack of "substance" is more about the function than the form, although the matt green and blue textured gray at the bottom make a visual statement. The Buggy ID is designed to be driven into the elements, rain or shine. The designers have made the interior waterproof.

Under the body of ID, good things live.

The rear-drive stroller is equipped with an electric motor that produces 201 horsepower and a maximum torque of 228 lb-ft. It has a 62-kilowatt-hour battery that can travel a distance of 155 miles (according to the WLTP standard) with a single charge. There is no estimate of the EPA for the range. It can accelerate from zero to 62 miles to the hour in 7.2 seconds.

Unfortunately, this prototype had a speed limiter that kills sensations, canceling my plans for a quick ride along the coast.

Nevertheless, the Buggy ID offered a fun, easy and airy ride. He easily managed the curves of the roads and his broad body and high rear gave a sense of security even at the wheel of other cars much larger.

Build the buggy

It is unclear which company or companies are negotiating to produce the buggy. VW would not give names; not even the breeze of the sea and the cloudless sky, nor the endless candy of the eyes of a super car were enough to loosen the lips of VW employees during the week of the Monterey car.

It is possible that this unnamed company is e.Go Mobile. VW announced in March that e.Go Mobile would be its first external partner to use its MEB electric platform to launch other electric vehicles in addition to the Volkswagen model line. A dedicated vehicle project is already planned, VW said at the time.

A spokesman for VW told TechCrunch that no decision would be made on the car produced as part of this partnership with e.Go Mobile. It could be the buggy; it could also be from another vehicle.

And then there is Ford. Earlier this year, the two automakers announced a partnership including Ford's production of electric cars based on the SEM developed by Volkswagen.

VW people on the ground in Monterey have expressed hope that a third party will build the buggy, or a modified version of it. As a spokesperson later told TechCrunch: "As has shown motivation in Monterey, the Buggy is an excellent ambassador for Volkswagen and electronic mobility. I'm sure it would find a lot of customers. "

In the end, the Buggy ID is an elegant cruise ship rather than a beach bomber like that of the 1960s. It successfully demonstrates the versatility around the VW electric rig. After all, Volkswagen anticipates that key parts of the identity card will be used in several countries to power several consumer electric vehicles. And that's a fair assumption, Buggy's ID production cousins will have a few more gadgets, including nonsense like doors.

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