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.
For more details on the Concept Awards and the selection jury, please visit https://automediaregistry.org/presskit/#NACVOTY
About Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWoA) is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. VWoA’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state -of-the- art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Volkswagen Group is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. VWoA sells the Atlas, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, e-Golf, Golf, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen, Golf Alltrack, Jetta, Passat, Tiguan and Touareg vehicles through approximately 651 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.
About the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards
Founded in 2002, the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards recognize those concept vehicles that have made the strongest impact in terms of automotive design, engineering and market responsiveness. Professional automotive journalists from throughout North America, representing dozens of outlets in virtually every media segment serve as volunteer jurors to select the award winners. The awards are given to the best Production Preview Vehicle, Concept Car, Concept Truck, and Most Significant Concept Vehicle of each auto show season. To be eligible for the awards, a concept vehicle must make its North American debut during the current model year’s auto show season.
These awards are unique in that they are judged by a diverse panel of automotive journalists from throughout North America, and considered in the specific context of the North American market. By extending the review to the whole package—design, style, materials, technology, market viability and market responsiveness —and concentrating the focus on the market that the jurors know best, the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards provide truly valuable feedback to help shape the future of the automotive industry.
This press release and images of the I.D. Buzz are available at media.vw.com. Follow us @VWNews.
“Volkswagen,” all model names and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG.
Actual range will vary and depends on several factors including driving and charging habits, accessory use, tempature and topography, battery age, and vehicle condition. Battery capacity decreases with time and use.