VW's Van Strategy

[Mansfieldman750]

I think VW nailed the Buzz with the looks, but not the spec or price. This has subsequently been corrected with the additional range / power, but the original one I drove was so disappointing that I'm not sure I could revisit anytime soon.

The lack of storage on the T7 is a deal breaker for me and I don't want two side doors. I have enough problems with one (electric).

Oh yeah, if it has the same storage and kitchen as the T7 I still wouldn’t have a Buzz California ( or whatever they decide to call it )
Not too bothered about the driving experience, our main use is camping. If it gets us there, it’ll do.
Do like the idea of using up surplus electric instead of sending it to the grid though.
We’ll see when the time comes, if it ever does.

 

[pjm-84]

Storage batteries at home! I added these in 2022.

Driving experience for me is comfort / noise and the way it drives. Not performance. The ID Buzz was dull / bouncy and noisy..... just not acceptable in this modern age for a 60k+ vehicle.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Storage batteries at home! I added these in 2022.

Driving experience for me is comfort / noise and the way it drives. Not performance. The ID Buzz was dull / bouncy and noisy..... just not acceptable in this modern age for a 60k+ vehicle.

Yes, I am thinking about storage batteries again for about the 10th time. Trouble is if the payback is 10 years at 72 I might peg it before I get my money back. Isn’t Chockswahay
using his car as his storage battery ? I could do that with a Buzz Camper.

 

[pjm-84]

Yep super hard calculation do to. I looked at them for a while and then with the price rise it made sense. Previously it was a 12years payback. That came down to 5 to 6years. My battery exports about 3700kHw a year. Circa 1600kWh come from solar / the rest from an EV low rate. So about £900 a year saving over the original demand at the current price cap

However, the biggest bonus has been using energy to heat the hot water via the battery power rather than gas boiler. This is circa £600 to £700 a year saving on top. My annual gas bill is £300 to £400

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Yep super hard calculation do to. I looked at them for a while and then with the price rise it made sense. Previously it was a 12years payback. That came down to 5 to 6years. My battery exports about 3700kHw a year. Circa 1600kWh come from solar / the rest from an EV low rate. So about £900 a year saving over the original demand at the current price cap

However, the biggest bonus has been using energy to heat the hot water via the battery power rather than gas boiler. This is circa £600 to £700 a year on top. My annual gas bill is £300 to £400

An awful lot to ponder but it has to wait for a little while. I just bought another Street Triple ( fourth one ) so battery money gone. Gimme a bike every time.

 

[pjm-84]

Lol.....Africa Twin and a Kove 450, and trying hard not to buy a Kove 800 .......too big for a ST

Anyway back on topic. VW need to have better peer groups.

 

[vananarama]

I think VW nailed the Buzz with the looks, but not the spec or price. This has subsequently been corrected with the additional range / power, but the original one I drove was so disappointing that I'm not sure I could revisit anytime soon.

The lack of storage on the T7 is a deal breaker for me and I don't want two side doors. I have enough problems with one (electric).

The buzz aside because it is divisive for lots of reasons not to mention the fact that it's small inside, but at least it's contemporary and looks cool in my view, why has VW lost its way so badly? They seem to have done a collaboration with Ford to ruin the amazing look and precious brand advantage, while Ford has updated its standard transit front and rear and it looks attractive and superior to its own predecessor.

I get maybe that increasingly people want big family cars rather than a van and me being a 50-year-old guy who loves Vans is not the intended demographic of the new models, but I'm not gonna be seen dead in one of those multi Van things that just look like updated and Nissan prairies or VW Sharans of old. The new California looks so weak. Sorry, rant over.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pjm-84]

+1 .....

The Buzz for me would be a big estate not a camper....only because I'm 6ft 5 and built like a BSH

 

[FivetonesCali]

I think they’re (principally VW but also other camper providers) missing a trick in that most of the market isn’t rugged or flexible enough. Let’s face it most camping in the uk involves mud, often dogs and sometimes kids (and going on the number of bike racks, muddy bikes/bike gear). Interiors could be a lot more rugged and simplified. Not only would this reduce the crazy costs but it would appeal to a wider market.

I eye up the 4motion Buzz GTX as a potential option but the interior just isn’t flexible or practical enough. And to add insult to injury with the price you can’t use the battery the way you’d want. Have a full camp mode, a 2kw min inverter (for an induction hob and simple heating) and allow it to be used as a 2 way house battery when stationary.

It’s not impossible Kia could answer this market. Look at the price of the PV5 van, it’s 10k cheaper than a buzz cargo for a start. Their concept camper is interesting.

 

[slushf]

An awful lot to ponder but it has to wait for a little while. I just bought another Street Triple ( fourth one ) so battery money gone. Gimme a bike every time.

Off topic but I think you have impeccable taste, had mine since 2015!

 

[slushf]

Agree with all that except one thing; the point of the Buzz is surely NOT to rely on an ICE.
But show me a VW Buzz-based Cali EV and I’ll be up for it, at the right price.
My hunch is that VW expected the Buzz to fly, to take on the Transporter mantle, but it didn’t and instead we have this mashup of a T7 that isn’t a T7 at all.
A mess.

Actually I agree. What would be ideal for me would be a PHEV preferably self charging. I do think full EV is not really practical at the moment for a vehicle like this (energy density vs. weight vs. charge time). But there are interesting signs that may be changing. I follow Quantumscape Corp and they are working on Solid State battery tech and have signed a licensing deal with PowerCo (a subsidiary of VW) to 'productionise' their battery tech. PowerCo just announced the very first SSB powered vehicle too, a Ducati motorcycle! So you never know, the breakthrough may be soon

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Off topic but I think you have impeccable taste, had mine since 2015!

View attachment 140853

Snap ! That was the second one, I’m going for next one Friday, also Black but not an R.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

I am mixing threads but if I could have a setup like @chockswahay down in Cornwall ( that man is generating enough juice to power the whole of Cornwall and maybe Devon thrown in ) whereby I charge a Buzz Campervan overnight for 7p per KWh and sell it back to Octopus for 15p next day then it becomes a bit of a no brainer.
Subject of course to it being suitable as a Campervan in the first place ie capable of going on a month long tour of Europe like @willwander is doing at present in his excellent travelogue.
Probably never happen, and if it doesn’t I am perfectly happy with what I’ve got but you never know.

 

[FivetonesCali]

This is the kind of thing that’s possible.

Ford F-150 Lightnings are powering the grid in first residential V2G pilot

Sunrun, Ford, and BGE started the vehicle-to-grid test in July.

arstechnica.com

 

[Louis II]

The buzz aside because it is divisive for lots of reasons not to mention the fact that it's small inside, but at least it's contemporary and looks cool in my view, why has VW lost its way so badly? They seem to have done a collaboration with Ford to ruin the amazing look and precious brand advantage, while Ford has updated its standard transit front and rear and it looks attractive and superior to its own predecessor.

I get maybe that increasingly people want big family cars rather than a van and me being a 50-year-old guy who loves Vans is not the intended demographic of the new models, but I'm not gonna be seen dead in one of those multi Van things that just look like updated and Nissan prairies or VW Sharans of old. The new California looks so weak. Sorry, rant over.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can see how VW choices would make sense to them,
Prioritising investment in EVs over new variants of ICE vans that have only really ever had a niche following but at the same time trying to keep the premium end of the ICE van market (California & Caravelle) by moving it onto their car platform and replacing the Sharan at the same time.

 

[chockswahay]

I had a Buzz a few weeks ago while the van was in for service. I used to like it (even had one on pre order when it came out) but now it just feels fat and bloaty and looks like it just ran into a bus. Weird how tastes change innit! Maybe because the Buzz couldn’t be further from the pure unadulterated fun of my leccy Mini Cooper S

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Snap ! That was the second one, I’m going for next one Friday, also Black but not an R.

View attachment 140855

I prefer them bigger with more cylinders:

 

[Mansfieldman750]

I prefer them bigger with more cylinders:

View attachment 140859

Beautiful. The heaviest one I ever had was a BMW K100RT in the early 80s. The Flying Brick. I dropped it once in New Cumnock and couldn’t get it back up much to the amusement of a crowd of spectators.

 

[pjm-84]

I had a Buzz a few weeks ago while the van was in for service. I used to like it (even had one on pre order when it came out) but now it just feels fat and bloaty and looks like it just ran into a bus. Weird how tastes change innit! Maybe because the Buzz couldn’t be further from the pure unadulterated fun of my leccy Mini Cooper S

Yep we ran a pool ID3 for 53k miles and it was a cracking car. Just didn't work in the Buzz.... hence the sheer disappointment

 

[Van Diesel VW]

Starting to like the look of the Grand California 600, hoping VW will bring the 600 Dune special edition to the UK as it has 4 motion.

 

[Corradobrit]

Beautiful. The heaviest one I ever had was a BMW K100RT in the early 80s. The Flying Brick. I dropped it once in New Cumnock and couldn’t get it back up much to the amusement of a crowd of spectators.

View attachment 140870

Brings back memories. I had a BMW K75S in the mid 90's. We didn't gel so I sold it pretty quick. Finally found my bike in a Yamaha TDM850 and then a 2005 Aprilia Tuono Factory. Loved those bikes for hooning around the Californian Pacific Coast.

 

[Lorri]

Each to their own of course. I learned how to drive and park without all those gadgets, which in my opinion just make you lazy and paying less attention.

Still break my neck checking mirrors looking back/sideways whilst reversing even tho we have cameras lol

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Brings back memories. I had a BMW K75S in the mid 90's. We didn't gel so I sold it pretty quick. Finally found my bike in a Yamaha TDM850 and then a 2005 Aprilia Tuono Factory. Loved those bikes for hooning around the Californian Pacific Coast.

I’ll start a new thread for bikes or resurrect an old one. This one is getting messy with van strategy, bikes and solar panels. My fault entirely but about to redeem myself.
One of the Administrators is a biker if I remember so we’ll be welcome.

 

[SusiBus]

I must agree, it has got way off subject this thread. Should return to subject.,
Hopefully there will be a 'Bikes l Remember ' thread, then l will contribute to that.
Over to you admin.0

 

[Winston Rumfoord]

Starting to like the look of the Grand California 600, hoping VW will bring the 600 Dune special edition to the UK as it has 4 motion.

Me too. My worry with the GC600 is the lack payload. Suspect we just couldn’t bring bikes, paddle board and have the options we’d want to stay under 3.5tn (wouldn’t want to uprate).