Volkswagen ID.BUGGY concept in California

THE emissions-free Volkswagen ID.BUGGY has been let loose in its natural habitat, a sun-soaked beach in California, USA.

Doing what it has been designed to do best, the door-less and roof-less ID.BUGGY was on show carving up sand in the lead up to the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

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Revealed at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show in March this year, the ID.BUGGY concept sits on Volkswagen Group’s MEB (modular electric drive matrix) platform and is powered by an electric motor integrated into the rear axle.

That motor provides enough oomph – 150kW and 310Nm – to send the ID.BUGGY from 0-100km/h in 7.2 seconds. It’s mated to a single-speed gearbox, while a 62kw/h lithium-ion, rechargeable battery is embedded into the vehicle’s floor to save space.

The vehicle’s composite body is made using a mixture of aluminium, steel and plastic, and it can be detached from the MEB platform.

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When it was revealed at the Geneva Show launch earlier this year, VW stated that the MEB platform will be the key to an ‘electric car for all’: “The ID BUGGY demonstrates the broad spectrum of emission-free mobility that can be achieved with the MEB within the Volkswagen brand,” said Ralf Brandstätter, COO of the Volkswagen brand.

As can be seen, the designers opted for a less-is-better approach with the vehicle’s interior. The minimalist aesthetic includes a hexagonal wheel devoid of myriad controls, and a digital instrument cluster unclutters the dash. Waterproof materials are utilised within the cabin, with the steering wheel wrapped in water-repellent Nappa leather.

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18-inch wheels are wrapped in BFGoodrich All-Terrain rubber (255/55 at front and 285/60 at rear); two steel eyelets are there for support should the BUGGY bite off more than it can chew; and a Targe bar provides rollover support.