The Buzz at Seattle Auto Show: Test driving VW’s new van, plus more cool EVs not made by Tesla
As I pulled away from the Seattle International Auto Show on Thursday during a test drive of the highly anticipated Volkswagen “ID. Buzz” electric van, a driver in a Tesla Cybertruck offered a thumbs up.
It was all the confirmation I needed that the Buzz was going to be the buzzworthy vehicle at the annual show at Lumen Field Event Center.
And perhaps it further signaled some of the fatigue that could be settling in with Tesla and the company’s politically polarizing CEO, Elon Musk. As the company’s dominant U.S. market share finally dips, new buyers appear to be turned off by Musk, and current owners are finding ways to express their displeasure as well.
Joined by Tom Voelk, an auto industry journalist, spokesperson for the show and host of the YouTube channel Driven, I set out to find the Tesla alternatives, and “shop” for five EVs that could rev up potential customers. Here they are:
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
The biggest buzz this weekend is sure to be around Volkswagen’s modern electric take on the classic peace, love and happiness van. It’s the first time the much-hyped vehicle has been available at an auto show in North America and I may have taken one of the first test drives.
“It’s got such a nostalgia about it,” Voelk said when asked what makes the Buzz buzzworthy. “People love the old microbus, but now it’s got this beautiful, modern design. They’ve done a great job with it.”
With a starting price around $60,000 and range of 260 miles, this isn’t a well-worn Vanagon struggling to make it over Snoqualmie Pass on a Sunday drive. The Buzz is immediately recognizable and it definitely turned heads during a short drive around the SoDo neighborhood.
The van is super roomy and sits up high, and there’s a ton of light coming in through the expansive moon roof. The acceleration is shocking, especially for a van with a lineage that includes slow-moving hippie buses.
“I keep looking at this and thinking, ‘If IKEA built a car,'” Voelk said from the passenger seat. “It has that quality and design, but yet, this is obviously not an Audi.”
The Buzz won’t eclipse Tesla — or iconic old VWs — anytime soon, especially in the U.S. There’s a long wait list and there’s only one factory in Germany making them for the entire world.
Chevy Equinox EV
With over 300 miles of range, Voelk liked that the Equinox EV crossover is still affordable. With the federal tax credit, you can get a base model for under $30,000.
“This isn’t a tiny little car,” Voelk said. “This will seat five average-sized adults, relatively comfortably. People complained when [Chevy] took away the Bolt, but this is actually less expensive than the Bolt, and it’s larger. It’s more usable.”
Kia EV9
This is the EV Americans want, in Voelk’s opinion.
“It’s a three row SUV crossover,” he said. “It’s roomy. You can actually put adults in the third row. It easily has a range of 260-270 miles in the real world. Also, if you’re traveling and you have access to a 350kw charger — Electrify America and EVgo — you’re looking at a charge from 10 to 80% in about 22 minutes. Which is pretty fast.”
GMC Sierra EV
Voelk called this giant pickup the alternative to the Cybertruck.
“Frankly, I think this is a much, much better vehicle,” he said. “For starters, the range is over 400 miles on a charge. It’s incredible.”
The truck boasts generous front storage and an internal mid gate that opens to allow for loads of almost 11 feet. And it also has the “best tailgate in the business,” Voelk said. “No contest, in my opinion, this is the best electric pickup you can get.”
Porsche Macan EV
The loaded turbo electric model on display at the Seattle show is about $150,000, but price isn’t really an obstacle when you’re fantasy shopping.
“This is in every way a Porsche,” Voelk said. “It’s super fast. It handles really well. The battery pack is in the floor, which lowers the center of gravity. That’s what Porsche is all about. These things are awesome.”
The Seattle International Auto Show runs through Sunday at the Lumen Field Event Center. Show and ticket info here.
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