Behold The Future...Power and performance was never really the Kombi's selling point, but an 111 kilowatt-hour battery and all-wheel-drive electric motors form the 369-horsepower drivetrain platform of the vehicle, and that'll bring a fair bit of pep to the party. The microbus will be compatible with Combined Charging System (CCS) or an inductive charging interface, with a total charging rate of 150 kW. The flexible architecture allows the engineers to easily create a rear-wheel-drive variant with 268 hp and a smaller 83-kWh battery, which means VW has a lot to play with. The I.D. Buzz is also fully autonomous, so at a simple tap will retract the unconventional steering into the dashboard making more interior space. Volkswagen's settlement, which was approved by a federal judge in October, calls for $1.2 billion for federal zero-emission vehicle research and $800 million to help fund similar efforts in California, which helped catch the German automaker. Also nice is that Volkswagen says this auto could have two sorts of power options: depending on where they live, a theoretical I.D. Buzz buyer could option a 83 kWh battery pack and rear-wheel drive, or a 111 kWh battery pack with all-wheel drive. "It carries the feeling of freedom of the Microbus over to a completely new era of mobility". Klaus Bischoff, Volkswagen Head of Design, told the show "the I.D. Buzz is not a retro design on 22-inch wheels; rather, we have taken the logical next step forward in development using what is in all likelihood the most successful design of its kind in the world". The I.D. Buzz is able to fit up to 8 people. "Pilot" mode that could make it into production by 2025", the company said. That could be with a human at the wheel, or alternatively with the I.D. However, the new I.D. concept takes the heritage-laced design a step further by adopting styling cues such as chromed trim on the belt line that ends in a V on the front fascia, tall quarter windows integrated into the front doors, and air vents cut into the rear roof pillars. With the rise of automatous driving systems and ridesharing networks, the compact yet spacious I.D. Buzz could prove to be yet another iconic product for the modern Volkswagen. The ambient lighting then switches from white light ("Drive") to mood lighting that is warm and relaxed. At the same time, the front passenger seats are pivoted to face the rest of the cabin and the car's center console moves toward the rear. The windscreen also serves as an augmented reality display, projecting things like navigation instructions, virtually and three-dimensionally, onto the road ahead; and the LED headlights signal vehicle status mimicking human eye gestures. http://heraldkeeper.com/2017/01/10/volkswagen-microbus-concept-showcased-at-detroit-motorshow.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Volkswagen ID Buzz Concept Debuts as Microbus of the Future The Volkswagen microbus of the “Make Love, Not War” era is one of the most iconic vehicles ever made, and the German automaker has reimagined the hippy van as a futuristic EV. The Volkswagen ID Buzz Concept, an interesting name considering the old microbus’ connection to cannabis culture, made its global debut at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. Showcasing the automaker’s new focus on alternative powertrains that are not diesel, the ID Buzz Concept is fully electric and has a claimed driving range of 270 miles. http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2017/01/volkswagen-id-buzz-concept-the-microbus-of-the-future.html

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1. Travelling in a fried-out Combie...