“Guys, I'm having a bit of a problem,” comes the voice over the walkie-talkie from the 1972 Volkswagen Type 2 nicknamed Solbrit, which has just come to a stop halfway up the hill a short distance away. Oh oh. This part of our Big ID. Buzz test could end before it has properly begun.
We are on the Wrynose Pass in the Lake District, on the way to the Hardknott Pass, one of the nastiest and steepest roads in the UK. We wanted to pit the Buzz against its 20th-century predecessor by means of a hill climb – no small feat, given the reputation of the Type 2's rear-mounted, air-cooled original engine for overheating at the slightest incline. touch. It looks like he lives up to his reputation.
The high price of the electric VW bus
But don't panic immediately, because behind the wheel is Kit Lacey, founder of eDub Services, a company that provides classic cars with a new electric heart. And the Type 2 he drives is not just any Type 2, but one that has undergone a complete heart transplant and now does its thing with electrons. Here we have the top of the list of possible conversions, with a 53 kWh battery, a 95 hp electric motor and a range somewhere in the region of 240 kilometers. The price tag: 64,999 British pounds, just under 74,000 euros. No, it's not cheap.
Kit is a bit worried because the constant stopping and driving for photos causes the temperature of the electric motor to rise dangerously. Fortunately, he has his laptop with him and he can wirelessly change the settings of the fans, so that they start working at a lower temperature. He rolls back to where it is flat and takes up the challenge again with a good run-up.
Until we (only figuratively, thankfully) encounter oncoming traffic, halfway up an even steeper climb to the top of Wrynose Pass. Although the temperature is now stable, Kit has lost all speed. Once again he starts working with the laptop, changes the settings so that the eDub now receives maximum power, floors the pedal and finally reaches the top of the hill, and over it.
What comes back from the old bus in the ID. Buzz
I follow in the ID. Buzz (this edition has a 77 kWh battery, a 204 hp motor and a 415 kilometer range), which I can safely say does not seem to be having any problems so far. But it's not cheap either; In this version with a number of extras, it is even slightly more expensive than the eDub. It's not hard to see that VW used the Type 2 as inspiration for the Buzz, from the windshield that wraps around the corners to the sliding doors and fake cooling grilles; but with that idiosyncratic styling, the drum of similarities is almost empty.
While the Buzz is currently little more than a decorated MPV, the Type 2 offers almost endless possibilities for adjustments. This copy has previously been serviced by its owner and is completely ready for any road trip. It is an almost poignant comparison. The Hardknott Pass – with gradients of 30 percent – soon looms large.
Kit waits until the road is clear and then starts the climb, I follow shortly after. The high seating position and light steering lend themselves well to the rutted single-lane road, and although it certainly doesn't come naturally with the Buzz either, you just have to trust your instincts, ignore the constant beeping of the parking sensors and go for it. After a few twists and turns we also pass the highest point. And so there is a 'we did it nicely' moment for the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and eDub Classic T2 are in order. On the way back I seize the opportunity to change cars.
The eDub Classic T2 drives partly as before
The Type 2 does keep you more occupied in terms of driving – you quickly feel the heavy steering in your shoulders and with the brake pedal cramp is only a matter of time, but there is no denying that the new electrical organs have changed the way this van drives have been transformed. The acceleration pedal is quicker than that of the Buzz and a sprint to 100 km/h is easily accomplished.
What should you spend your 75 grand on? The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is wonderfully quirky and like one funky It has plenty of charm as a family car, but for an adventure like this, the eDub Classic T2 feels more authentic. The electrics have given this Type 2 new life, erased many of its original negatives and secured its future in our new battery-powered world. The Buzz is not yet its custom-made replacement, but we suspect its time will come.
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