That’s not a Bug, that’s the future.
No matter how they spin it the truth is this: VW’s introduction of electric vehicles is driven by their settlement with the government. They’re not doing this because they want to, they’re doing it because they have to. I have a hard time getting excited over this.
As far as I’m concerned if VW wants me to own one of their products they need to pay me. And that sticker has a pretty large price on it.
*Yes, I am a former owner of a cheater VW. Why do you ask?
Anyone curious to see insides of the concept microbus and to see it in action, can check the review from the Fully Charged Show.
Is that what Volkswagen did? They “made a mistake”? :dubious:
Sure did. They got caught.
[quote=“GIGObuster, post:23, topic:835492”]
Anyone curious to see insides of the concept microbus and to see it in action, can check the review from the Fully Charged Show.
[/QUOTE]I just watched part of it. You’ll notice the absence of side-view and rear-view mirrors. Instead, there are rear-facing cameras on the sides, and a display screen instead of a rear-view mirror.
OK, so they can’t cheat on the emissions tests any more. What else can they still cheat on? Range measurements? Safety standards? Was there enough turnover in the upper eschelons of the company to be confident that they’ve gotten rid of the culture of cheating?
And I find it slightly disturbing that the guy we’re watching work late nights is (apparently) a concept artist, not an engineer. That tells me that they prioritize making the vehicle look good over making it work well. And after all those long hours, the best he can come up with is to reuse a fifty-year-old design?
Also, it it really the best idea to use a song that brings to mind a couple of people getting on a bus and immediately begining to regret their decision?
The clip I watched specifically mentioned that and said that this is a concept vehicle and a production version would have mirrors. I assume this is due to some laws that haven’t been adjusted for the current technology.
Bravo. 
I’m a fan of the brand so I watched it. Twice.
I’m a VW fan, own a ‘07 Rabbit 2 door manual, and a ‘12 Golf TDI DSG, I’m one of the few that was never bothered by the emissions “scandal” as I’m already familiar with the foibles of diesel, as I own an antique Kubota G5200 garden tractor, it’s easily 25+ years old and starts reliably every time and has seen many hours of use, mowing the lawn (a 2 hour job), plowing the driveway in the winter, towing a garden cart for many uses.
The old Kubota will belch smoke when it’s started or momentarily under heavy loads, but overall it’s clean, doesn’t smoke, and this is a small 3 cylinder naturally aspirated engine.
I got the TDI because I liked the way it drove, and got great gas mileage as a side bonus, it’s emissions are even cleaner than the old antique Kubota
(My little diesel family)
I like the basic concept of the ID Buzz, but here in New England, our brutal winter makes battery electric vehicles a tad less practical, batteries lose a noticeable amount of range in freezing weather, that said, it’d make a nice companion to the TDI…
They’ve switched from scamming the govt to scamming customers like Musk does. No way that range holds up in real driving conditions.
You do realize that it is at least 4 years before these come to production so there is no way of knowing if what your are saying is true or not.
I get that this concept car includes some technology that isn’t ready for prime time. The video I saw mentioned that in autonomous mode, the steering wheel would retract to be flush with the instrument panel and obviously we’re not there yet. I understand that some auto manufacturers have proposed that side view mirrors be replaced by cameras, with drag being reduced by two to seven percent.
I also have to also say to WillFarnaby that people saying: “It can’t be done,” are always being interrupted by somebody doing it. - (From Puck Magazine in 1903)
I’m aware of how deservedly VW is behind the 8 ball for the recent scandal, but if that made them become a car company with practical solutions regarding emissions, then it is like politics: You never want a serious crisis to go to waste, and the result should be welcomed because the new EVs will be a part of the solution to the global warming issue.
And the acid the took didn’t come in batteries.
And I can believe that an electric van could have a significantly longer range than an electric car. There’s a lot more space in a van to fit in batteries. Obviously the range they’re touting is under ideal circumstances (warm weather, level ground, low but steady speed), but then, that’s true of the range anyone else touts, too.
Is there any kind of release date for this, or is it just a concept car to get us to talk about something other than their crimes? Who could have guessed anything that came out of Nazi Germany could have a dark side?
It’s scheduled to be available in 2022.
When I initially saw this commercial, at the end, when they show the “face” of the bus, I thought it was backing-up toward the camera and that was the rear-end. Going backward, not forward.