VW ID Buzz will make public debut at SXSW festival – Roadshow [CNET]

Volkswagen concepts to come out in, well, ever. After years of teasing, the production version of this all-electric schlepper is set to debut in all its glory on March 9. Following the unveiling, Volkswagen announced on Wednesday the retro-styled vehicle will make its first North American appearance in Austin, Texas, at the South by Southwest festival and conference, which runs from March 11 to 20.

The ID Buzz is an homage to Volkswagen’s legendary Type 2 Microbus. This reincarnated schlepper shares its forebear’s tall and boxy silhouette, but instead of a rear-mounted engine it brandishes a squeaky-clean, all-electric powertrain and rides on VW’s Modular Electric Drive Matrix architecture, a platform that underpins a range of other EVs.

To drum up interest, the vehicle will make various “Buzz Stops,” as VW is referring to them, throughout the Texas capital, where the public will be able to see the vehicle up close. European-spec ID Buzz vans will frequent two stations near the Austin Convention Center to provide information and entertainment to attendees. Hopefully this doesn’t prove to be a, er, buzz kill.

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