Volkswagen revives the beach buggy with ID Buggy concept

Volkswagen has unveiled the ID Buggy concept car at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show - a move that revives the beach buggy concept popular in California.

Based on the brand’s upcoming MEB electric vehicle platform, the ID Buggy concept is purely electric and is powered by a 150kW electric motor in the rear of the car - a bit like the original dune buggy models, not to mention the Country Buggy that was produced here in the 1960s.

According to Volkswagen, an additional electric motor in the front axle is also conceivable to make the ID Buggy all-wheel drive. 

The ID Buggy is a two-seater, though could be made in a four-seat version too.

The brand claims the ID Buggy is capable of a claimed 7.2-second sprint from 0-100km/h, and while the concept is a two-seater, it can be converted to a 2+2 layout. Its 62kWh lithium-ion battery pack gives the car a stated range of around 250km.

The ID Buggy’s body is made from a mixture of aluminium, steel and plastic, and it is self-supporting. Because of its MEB platform, the ID Buggy’s body can be detached from the chassis, which opens up a world of modifications and personalisation, according to Volkswagen.

The concept car features a skateboard on the rear parcel shelf with the same wheels as the concept as well, which could preview a range of accessories the company could offer with the production version of the ID Buggy. 

The ID Buggy is rear-wheel drive.

While it is just a concept car at this stage the brand claims it is 70 per cent ready for production and could be in your local VW showroom within four years - though automotive safety and design legislation are almost guaranteed to change the ID Buggy’s shape in one way or another. 

Does the Volkswagen ID Buggy concept leave you wanting an electric buggy? Let us know in the comments below.