For the second year in a row, a Volkswagen of America, Inc. concept – the I.D. Buzz electric vehicle– has been named “2017 Concept Truck of the Year” at the 16th Annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. The I.D. Buzz won recognition from a panel of judges who praised its inventive combination of electric mobility and forward-thinking style that hearkens to the original Microbus without mimicking it. The award ceremony was held at the Concours d’Elegance of America at St. John’s in Plymouth, Mich., on July 30, 2017.
“We are proud that the I.D. Buzz was chosen as the 2017 Concept Truck of the Year, and that Volkswagen has been given this honor for the fourth time,” said Abdallah Shanti, Executive Vice President and Group Chief Information Officer for Region Americas, Volkswagen of America, Inc., in accepting the award. “Volkswagen will lead the world in the shift to electric mobility, and the I.D. Buzz demonstrates the kind of innovative design and engineering that’s a trademark of VWs past and future.”
The new electric MPV is the second model in the three I.D. concept vehicles shown so far. Built on the Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB), the I.D. Buzz highlights how electric power can be suited to larger vehicles, offering maximum utilization of space on the footprint similar to that of a medium-size passenger car. With the batteries and the drive system that provide an estimated all-wheel-drive range of up to 270 miles housed in the floor, the driver and passengers find lots of space for traveling in comfort – along with up to 162.5 cubic feet of cargo space inside with the rear seats folded.
And while the Buzz carries cues from the past, its technology points to the future – from a retractable steering wheel that senses the driver’s intentions to headlights and exterior lighting that can provide communication with pedestrians based on its I.D. Pilot autonomous driving mode. Ambient lighting inside and out provide a visual signature that make the I.D. Buzz unmistakable and timeless.
More than two dozen jurors participated in the selection process of the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. Twenty vehicles, each introduced to North America during this season’s auto shows in Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, and New York, were judged.
The four award categories included: “Production Preview Vehicle,” “Concept Car,” “Concept Truck,” and “Most Significant Concept Vehicle.” The I.D. Buzz beat out other finalists in the “Concept Truck” category, which assessed vehicles with the primary attributes of user-configurable cargo volume and weight capacity. “Most Significant Concept Vehicle” is chosen from among winners of the three other categories and is determined by the car with the highest total score.
