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Volkswagen ID. Buzz pricing announced: starts at $59,995

(Credit: Martin Meiners)

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Volkswagen has announced pricing for the ID. Buzz, the reborn version of its famous Van that was widely successful, especially in the 1960s and 1970s.

The new ID. Buzz will start at $59,995 for its entry-level configuration, known as the Pro S. There will also be a Pro S Plus, which starts at $63,495, or $67,995 for the all-wheel-drive configuration.

Then there is the top trim, known as the 1st Edition, which will start at $65,495 and will cost $4,500 more for the all-wheel-drive configuration.

Volkswagen ID.Buzz headed to North America, marking the return of an icon

We’ll break these down more at the bottom of the page, but we want to highlight some of the customization and features of the vehicle first:

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Features and Infotainment

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz will have a pretty robust infotainment package as it stands. It will have the newest version of the Volkswagen infotainment system with backlit controls, 12-way powered front seats, a heated second row (a great touch), wireless phone charging and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for more versatility.

It will also feature eight USB-C ports and a 110-volt outlet under the passenger seat, according to ArsTechnica.

The U.S. version of the vehicle differs slightly from the European version in the sense that pricing and features are not the same. In Europe, the entry-level ID. Buzz starts at $60,000 and has two fewer seats. It also has 8 kWh less of a battery than the U.S. version.

The three-row ID. Buzz has a 91 kWh battery pack and the rear-wheel-drive configuration also gets only 234 miles of range. This is only three miles greater than the AWD option, which is not super favorable at the price.

To be frank, it seems like a novelty item with the price tag and the lack of range. The features are great, though.

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Configuration Breakdown

ID. Buzz Pro S – $59,995

  • Three exterior colors – Candy White, Deep Black, Pearl, and Metro Silver
  • Two Interior Themes – Copper and Moonlight
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • 12-Way Powered Front Seats
  • Heated Second Row Seating
  • Wireless Phone Charging
  • 20-Inch Wheels
  • Three-zone Climate Control

ID. Buzz Pro S Plus -$63,495 or $67,995 for AWD

  • All features of ID. Buzz Pro S
    • PLUS
  • Two-Tone Paint Options Available for an extra $995
  • Electrochromic Panoramic Glass Roof for $1,495
  • Heads-Up Display
  • 14-Speaker Harman/Kardon Stereo
  • 360-degree Exterior Cameras
  • Power-Sliding Doors
  • Retractable Tow Hitch
  • Bench Seating Standard, but Captain’s Chairs Available
  • AWD gets Captain’s Chairs Standard

ID. Buzz 1st Edition – $67,045 or $71,545 for AWD

  • All features of ID. Buzz Pro S Plus
    • PLUS
  • Five Exterior Color Options – Cabana Blue, Energetic Orange, Mahi Green, Pomelo Yellow, Metro Silver
  • White Top
  • 20-inch Wheels
  • Roof Rail Cross Bars
  • Heritage-Inspired Floor Mats
  • Electrochromic Panoramic Glass Roof Standard

Deliveries will begin later this year, Volkswagen confirmed.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla adds new surprising fee to Robotaxi program

“Additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. A fee has been added to your final cost to cover this service. Please contact us if you have any questions.”

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Credit: Grok

Tesla has added a new and somewhat surprising fee to the Robotaxi program. It’s only surprising because it was never there before.

Tesla shocked everyone when it launched its Robotaxi platform and offered riders the opportunity to tip, only to tell them they do not accept tips. It was one of the company’s attempts at being humorous as it rolled out its driverless platform to people in Austin.

As it has expanded to new cities and been opened to more people, as it was yesterday to iOS users, Tesla has had to tweak some of the minor details of the Robotaxi and ride-hailing platforms it operates.

First Look at Tesla’s Robotaxi App: features, design, and more

With more riders, more vehicles, and more operational jurisdictions, the company has to adjust as things become busier.

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Now, it is adjusting the platform by adding “Cleaning Fees” to the Robotaxi platform, but it seems it is only charged if the vehicle requires some additional attention after your ride.

The app will communicate with the rider with the following message (via Not a Tesla App):

“Additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. A fee has been added to your final cost to cover this service. Please contact us if you have any questions.”

The cost of the cleaning will likely depend on how severe the mess is. If you spill a soda, it will likely cost less than if you lose your lunch in the back of the car because you had a few too many drinks.

This is an expected change, and it seems to be one that is needed, especially considering Tesla is operating a small-scale ride-hailing service at the current time. As it expands to more states and cities and eventually is available everywhere, there will be more situations that will arise.

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The messes in vehicles are not a new situation, especially in a rideshare setting. It will be interesting to see if Tesla will enable other fees, like ones for riders who request a ride and do not show up for it.

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Tesla Model Y sold out in China for 2025

Customers who wish to get their cars by the end of the year would likely need to get an inventory unit.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

It appears that the Model Y has been sold out for 2025 in China. This seems to be true for the four variants of the vehicle that are currently offered in the country. 

Tesla China’s order page update

A look at Tesla China’s order page for the Model Y shows a message informing customers that those who wish to guarantee delivery by the end of the year should purchase an inventory unit. This was despite the Model Y RWD and Model Y L showing an estimated delivery timeline of 4-8 weeks, and the Model Y Long Range RWD and Model Y Long Range AWD showing 4-13 weeks. 

As per industry watchers, these updates on the Model Y’s order page suggest that Tesla China’s sales capacity for the remainder of 2025 has been sold out. The fact that estimated delivery timeframes for the Model Y Long Range RWD and AWD extend up to 13 weeks also bodes well for demand for the vehicle, especially given strong rivals like the Xiaomi YU7, which undercuts the Model Y in price. 

Tesla China’s upcoming big updates

What is quite interesting is that Tesla China is still competing in the country with one hand partly tied behind its back. So far, Tesla has only been able to secure partial approval for its flagship self-driving software, FSD, in China. This has resulted in V14 not being rolled out to the country yet. Despite this, Tesla China’s “Autopilot automatic assisted driving on urban roads,” as the system is called locally, has earned positive reviews from users.

As per Elon Musk during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, however, Tesla is expecting to secure full approval for FSD in China in early 2026. “We have partial approval in China, and we hopefully will have full approval in China around February or March or so. That’s what they’ve told us,” Musk said.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to be heading to Europe soon

For years, Musk has said the process for gaining approval in Europe would take significantly more time than it does in the United States. Back in 2019, he predicted it would take six to twelve months to gain approval for Europe, but it has taken much longer.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to be heading to Europe soon, especially as the company has continued to expand its testing phases across the continent.

It appears that the effort is getting even bigger, as the company recently posted a job for a Vehicle Operator in Prague, Czech Republic.

This would be the third country the company is seeking a Vehicle Operator in for the European market, joining Germany and Hungary, which already have job postings in Berlin, Prüm, and Budapest, respectively.

This position specifically targets the Engineering and Information Technology departments at Tesla, and not the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence job category that relates to Robotaxi job postings.

Although there has been a posting for Robotaxi Operators in the Eastern Hemisphere, more specifically, Israel, this specific posting has to do with data collection, likely to bolster the company’s position in Europe with FSD.

The job description says:

“We are seeking a highly motivated employee to strengthen our team responsible for vehicle data collection. The Driver/Vehicle Operator position is tasked with capturing high-quality data that contributes to improving our vehicles’ performance. This role requires self-initiative, flexibility, attention to detail, and the ability to work in a dynamic environment.”

It also notes the job is for a fixed term of one year.

The position requires operation of a vehicle for data collection within a defined area, and requires the Vehicle Operator to provide feedback to improve data collection processes, analyze and report collected data, and create daily driving reports.

The posting also solidifies the company’s intention to bring its Full Self-Driving platform to Europe in the coming months, something it has worked tirelessly to achieve as it spars with local regulators.

For years, Musk has said the process for gaining approval in Europe would take significantly more time than it does in the United States. Back in 2019, he predicted it would take six to twelve months to gain approval for Europe, but it has taken much longer.

This year, Musk went on to say that the process of getting FSD to move forward has been “very frustrating,” and said it “hurts the safety of the people of Europe.”

Elon Musk clarifies the holdup with Tesla Full Self-Driving launch in Europe

The latest update Musk gave us was in July, when he said that Tesla was awaiting regulatory approval.

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