Volkswagen’s third electric vehicle plant in Germany, kicked off production of the ID. Buzz electric van last week. The passenger van joins the ID. Buzz Cargo, the commercial version of the EV, which was already being produced at the plant.
Volkswagen’s Hannover plant was under constant construction for two years in order to prepare it for the transition to electric vehicles. Despite that, production of the T6.1 never stopped and it continues today.
“We are now manufacturing three ‘Bulli’ [Multivan] product lines with three different drive system concepts in our plant here,” said Josef Baumert, head of production and logistics at VWCV. “This means complexity makes huge demands of our workforce.”
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles expects to make 15,000 ID. Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargos at the plant this year. Once production is fully ramped up, though, it will have the ability to build as many as 130,000 of the electric vehicles per year.
“The start of full production of the ID. Buzz marks the launch of a new icon here at VWCV in Hannover,” said Stavros Christidis, chairman of the VWCV works council. “The ‘Bulli of the future’ is safeguarding jobs at our brand headquarters in Hannover.”
The van will also be available in the U.S., with the localized version expected to debut next year. Reports suggest that VW may produce the vehicle in Chattanooga, Tennessee, alongside the Atlas.
