The VW buggy concept, officially the Volkswagen I.D. Buggy, is an all-electric, roofless and doorless dune buggy built on Volkswagen's MEB electric platform. It revives the classic 1960s Beetle-based beach buggy idea with a modern electric drivetrain, an all-terrain attitude, and a stripped-back, open-air design. Below is what the I.D. Buggy is, where its design comes from, and how its electric platform works.
Where does the I.D. Buggy design come from?
Volkswagen's iconic Beetle silhouette was penned by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche in 1938. Ever since, it became the people's car, which is exactly what Volkswagen stands for. The car did not only have a memorable design, it was also a very simple and reliable platform, which led Bruce Meyers to create a fiberglass body kit in 1964 that would sit on top of a VW Beetle of the time. That Meyers Manx dune buggy became a cultural icon, and the I.D. Buggy is Volkswagen's electric tribute to it.
What powers the VW I.D. Buggy electric platform?
VW decided to have its own go at the buggy concept, creating the I.D. Buggy. Built on VW's MEB electric platform, this all-new buggy uses an electric motor with 201hp and 228 lb-ft of torque. Its 62 kWh battery is good for 250 kilometers. Being an all-terrain machine, its interior has been constructed with waterproof materials to keep it safe from the elements. Despite its small size, the electric motors give it enough room to comfortably carry four people and their picnic-bag-sized luggage. The MEB architecture is the same flexible base Volkswagen uses across its electric range, which is why a low-volume buggy and a mass-market hatchback can share it. You can read the full design brief on the Volkswagen US media site, with concept specs detailed by DrivingElectric.
Where will the I.D. Buggy be shown?
The I.D. Buggy concept was presented at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where visitors could take a closer look at its exterior and interior. For fans of the VW buggy concept, it signaled that the open-air, off-road buggy could live on in an electric era rather than fading with the original air-cooled Beetle.
Want an electric buggy of your own?
If the I.D. Buggy stirs the same itch in you, browse TheArsenale's electric vehicle collection for renewable-energy rides in the same spirit. Highlights include the minimalist Reboot Buggy by Joey Ruiter, the radio-controlled Tamiya Wild One Max electric buggy, the rugged MEV Hummer HX-T off-road SUV, and the trail-ready Segway Villain off-road UTV. Each one channels the same open-air, go-anywhere energy that makes the VW buggy concept so appealing.
