Volkswagen All-Electric ID Beach Buggy Is a Dune Dominator

With no doors or roof, VW’s new dune buggy is designed for “the purest beach cruiser experience.”

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Back in March, Volkswagen rocked the Geneva Motor Show with modern concept EV based on the modded Beetle dune buggies that famously roamed American beaches in decades past.

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Now the German automaker has revealed a head-turning prototype ahead of Cali’s Concours d’Elegance, fueling more speculation that this thing might one day be made available for the public to purchase. 

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Powered by a 62 kWh battery, the all-electric “ID. Buggy” boasts a 155-mile range, 201 horsepower, a 7.2-second zero-to-60 mph time, and an electronically limited top speed of 99 mph—all the juice you’ll need for a day of blasting through sand dunes. 

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As Maxim previously reported, the little EV joins the family of ID. concept and production models, each of which utilizes VW’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform. 

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A press release notes that its modular design allows for the composite upper body to be detached from the MEB chassis, opening up a world of possibilities for custom vehicle production, just like the original Meyers Manx kit did for the first buggies. 

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VW also touts the door- and roof-less ride as “off-road ready” for “the purest beach cruiser experience.” Its set of all-terrain BFGoodrich tires, solid aluminum undercarriage, Targa rollover bar and fortified windshield frame certainly lend credence to that claim. 

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Despite its small stature, the interior is remarkably large, which is made possible by the space-saving electric powertrain. 

A minimalist instrument cluster and Nappa leather-clad hexagonal steering wheel with touch controls give the cabin an refreshingly unintimidating look, as if a driver can just climb in, turn it on, and peel out without having to read a manual.

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VW didn’t mention anything about making the ID. Buggy a production offering, but we’ve still got out fingers crossed. 

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