Weirdly, Volkswagen’s I.D Buzz Cargo van is its most Kombi-like concept yet

You can forget your cleverclogs campers and sunsand-and-frisbies lifestyle takes on Volkswagen’s all-electric I.D. Buzz concept vehicle; it’s the panel van we love the most.

The humble cargo van version of the Kombi-aping I.D. Buzz — called the I.D. Buzz Cargo — was shown off at the IAA Commercial Vehicle show in Hanover, Germany, recently. It’s the kind of thing that has people who enjoy racking systems absolutely frothing. Er . . . and us as well.

But thanks to those slab-sided rear flanks perhaps, somehow this take on Volkswagen’s all-electric future brings to mind the Kombi van of old.

Even more so than the brightly coloured version unveiled a couple of years ago.

What else does Volkswagen believe courier drivers and telco repair technicians will value in the not-too-distant future? Those racks we mentioned slide in and out on an automatic rail system, meaning said tech doesn’t have to clamber in and out of the cargo area. And with a 230V socket on board, wired in to the van’s batteries, a swappable battery-fed power tool can have its battery recharged by the I.D. Cargo on the go.

Volkswagen also unveiled a 250-watt Cargo e-Bike at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show. This is designed to be a “last mile” package delivery vehicle, a bit like those electro quad bikes NZ Post employees are often seen motoring around on these days.

Quirkier, but still clever, the Cargo e-Bike can carry large boxes that remain perfectly upright when the vehicle corners. Though they won’t be cornering at speed: its top speed is only 24km/h.