The Volkswagen ID. Buzz offers “just” up to 234 miles of range. However, a trip to Detroit shows you can achieve much more with that distance than one might assume.

When Volkswagen dropped the
ID. Buzz
, generally, we were all smitten with the large van’s vintage design—even I, InsideEVs’ resident curmudgeon. However, once the initial excitement of finally obtaining our retro-style electric van faded, it wasn’t long before my more logical perspective started to show through.
to scrutinize the van’s technical features more critically.

Yes, the van can seat seven people and theoretically, it seems like an ideal vehicle for a road trip. However, its non-aerodynamic design, heavy curb weight, and comparatively low estimated range suggest otherwise. Despite this, I stayed doubtful; after all, how do you really define a road trip? Could it involve recreating the “
Explore America with your Chevy
Is it about those picturesque road trips spanning the entire nation? Or perhaps zipping over to another state for a quick visit to see a relative you somewhat tolerate but wish not to alienate from your inheritance?

To me, the ID. Buzz’s features appear as though they would suit
that
Alley. Therefore, during the time the ID. Buzz was mine, I embarked on a short journey—driving from my residence in Columbus, OH, up to an area just north of Detroit, MI.

To be honest, I don’t think it performed too poorly.

(

Full Disclosure:

Volkswagen provided me with a 2025 ID. Buzz Pro S for a week.

This rear-wheel-drive model equipped with a single motor comes with a 91 kWh battery (86 kWh usable capacity), providing an estimated range of 234 miles according to the EPA ratings. Should you wish to acquire an exactly similar van, it would cost you $66,040, which includes the destination charge.

Many automotive journalists typically arrange vehicle pickups and returns through a third-party fleet service when they receive test cars. Here in Central Ohio, I’m located farther from these fleet companies compared to writers and reporters working at major publications elsewhere.
Car & Driver
or
Automotive News
However, I’m still within the Detroit area’s scope for press cars, despite being 213 miles distant.

I completely understand that 213 miles might seem quite manageable for many electric vehicles. However, you may be astonished when you find out which models can accomplish this distance on a single charge and which cannot. The journey consists primarily of highways and rural routes, with average speeds typically exceeding 60 mph—conditions that aren’t ideal for electric vehicles known to perform better at lower speeds.
he Genesis GV70 Electrified
managed the trip effortlessly.
So did the Kia EV9 and the Rivian R1T?
, even amidst the chilly downpour.

Nonetheless, under perfect, mild, and bright circumstances, the Lexus RZ450e struggled to reach even 140 miles of range.
Before requiring a recharge, unsurprisingly, the Fiat 500e with its 42 kWh battery managed roughly 115 miles of range—quite impressive for a car designed primarily for short distances rather than long trips.

Therefore, shouldn’t the ID. Buzz’s range of 234 miles suffice?

I began my journey slightly north of Columbus. The previous evening, I hadn’t charged the van at all, leaving me with just around 42% battery. So, I headed approximately 20 miles north to Delaware, Ohio, to an EV Go charging station where I topped up to full. It took roughly 45 minutes for the battery level to rise from 36% to 100%; pretty decent timing. However, I won’t consider this a formal “charging stop” because it added barely any distance to my overall route.

My new destination is 189 miles distant, having been shortened by 24 miles from where I initially started out. The rest of the journey remained unchanged. It involved traveling through countryside routes and highways with a base speed limit of approximately 60 MPH. In Michigan, however, most roads maintained speeds between 70-75 mph.

I’d love to embellish this post with tales of the struggles faced during a grueling three-and-a-half-hour drive, but I can’t. My main issue was overlooking just how much colder it would be in Detroit—only 39 degrees Fahrenheit compared to Ohio’s pleasant 65 degrees Fahrenheit (which is 18 degrees Celsius). This temperature drop made me use more energy than expected.

When I passed the “Welcome To Michigan” sign, the car’s energy efficiency had dropped slightly to an average of just 0.1 miles per kWh from 2.8 miles per kWh previously. This decline prompted the vehicle’s navigation system to suggest stopping for a recharge en route. However, I managed to reach my destination without needing one.

I maintained the same speed as all the others driving an ID. Buzz without making any compromises regarding pace or following traffic rules—exactly as intended. This vehicle successfully completed the entire 189-mile trip with ease. On average, my speed was around 64 mph, during which the electric van managed approximately 2.7 miles per kilowatt-hour. When I handed it back to the fleet management team, it still had roughly 14% charge remaining, indicating about 40 miles worth of battery life left. Assuming this figure held up accurately, the ID. Buzz seemed poised to reach nearly 229 miles before needing a recharge—a distance very close to its officially stated range but slightly under by just six miles.

Some might argue that this constitutes a poor long-distance score, suggesting that my trip highlights the current shortcomings of electric vehicles. However, I disagree with both those assessments. For many individuals, such as myself, a nearly 320-kilometer drive may well represent the upper boundary of comfortable non-stop travel. Yet, had I continued, an additional 70 kilometers before needing another recharge seems quite manageable. This extended range could easily cover routes like Detroit to Toronto or even closer to Chicago. Essentially, what we’re looking at here is approximately an eight-hour driving span, which isn’t significantly more time-consuming compared to traditional gasoline cars.

I won’t claim that the significant issues regarding charging infrastructure aren’t relevant here. Certainly, they are. There’s a substantial gap without functioning stations between Columbus and Detroit. Had there been no operational DC fast chargers, several other electric vehicles I’ve traveled with on this path wouldn’t have completed the journey. However, such chargers are available. Therefore, what exactly is the issue?

We still have quite a journey ahead of us. However, as I drive electric vehicles over longer distances more frequently, I’m becoming increasingly unconvinced that the issue lies with the cars themselves or that manufacturers should be solely responsible for providing greater ranges which might only get used very occasionally.

Contact the author:
Kevin.Williams@InsideEVs.com

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