The Best Electric Car Lease Deals of 2024 - will the VW ID Buzz be the EV of choice for retail and business customers?

Will the VW ID Buzz be the EV choice for retail and business customers -The best electric cars of 2024?

The ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles is happening from 2024. As many consumers and business fleets may have noticed, the last 2 - 3 years has seen significant discourse pertaining to the long-term future of the UK’s automotive demographic.

Indeed, there was conjecture on what fuel source would be most suitable for us moving forwards - “clean” petrol tech, hydrogen solutions or lithium-ion batteries. And this had to be handled in light of a difficult economic and political period; in particular the impact of COVID on microchips and parts, which culminated in vehicles not being built and seismic price increases on available stock.

But 2023 did turn a corner with new cars and vans becoming more readily available and an increase in discounts (albeit a rise in interest rates!). But during 2023, the UK Government did make some sizeable decisions on their vehicle policy, by extending the deadline for zero-emission from 2030 to 2035.

As the Guardian reported  some manufacturers were lobbying against the intended legislation, in an effort to reduce the obligations on them. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Nissan and Toyota were among this group who were concerned with the policies. For JLR, this is not unsurprising with the group only having produced the Jaguar I-Pace (way back in 2018!) but nothing further until their fully-electric Range Rover announcement late last year ).

For Toyota, who prioritise full-hybrid technology, the opposition is not especially shocking either, with their unique petrol engine coupled with the small battery approach. In contrast, other manufacturers have been more outspoken about pushing the rules further with Tesla, the Volkswagen Group and Ford all supporting more significant and tougher changes.

Is the UK ready for the upcoming ban on petrol and diesel cars from 2024?

Regardless of opinion, Rishi Sunak’s Government formerly announced the “Pathway for zero emission vehicle transition by 2035” becoming law in January 2024 . In particular, the news confirms that the ZEV Mandate will expect manufacturers to be producing 80% of their cars in zero-emission format by 2030 which aligns our UK policy with Germany and Sweden.

And failing to hit targets is not a legal obligation without teeth; each non-complaint car will cost an estimated £15,000! But, according to the Government, this is not just about punitive measures as there will be proactive investment with assistance on public charge points, commercial vehicle grants and support for the used-EV industry. There are also bigger pledges for manufacturers of vehicles / batteries who create infrastructure in the UK to follow recent examples, like BMW’s Oxford Mini EV plant, Nissan’s two new electric plants and the Stellantis van EV site in Ellesmere Port.

And while some of the above may be concerning for some, particularly those customers who have yet to engage or drive all-electric platforms, the good news is that various aspects of the electric vehicle industry are continuing to evolve from public charging to destination charging to charging tariffs to vehicle choice (and price).

The statistics for electric vehicles, referred to as BEV by the SMMT, are now ready for 2023. As can be seen below, nearly 315,000 pure electric cars were registered in 2023. And with this representing 16.5% of the UK market, the ZEV Mandates criteria of 22% of new cars being electric for 2024 seems achievable. And with more charging solutions arriving at service stations, supermarkets, shopping centres, retail parks and attractions, the UK is becoming far more EV accessible. With Zap Map setting out exactly where, and when, you can charge at the 31,000+ locations throughout the UK, 2024 is set to be the best yet for customer experience.

Electric Car Registrations for 2023

And one of the most popular deals of December 2023 was the unique ID Buzz, which started at around £299 (plus Vat) on one of our amazing contract hire deals. This MPV emits the retro underpinning of the traditional camper van, coupled with the cutting-edge technology and features UK leasing customers demand from their EVs. As VW state “fully connected, fully electric and fully loaded” the state of the art family solution proved to be immensely popular with our business and fleet customers who enjoy an active lifestyle but wanted to do so in a more environmentally conscious and “green” way.

Aesthetically and ergonomically on-point, the Buzz is a refreshing addition to the 2024 EV line-up, presenting a practical option for many families. And with a 7-seat version (on a longer platform) due later this year, we could have the ultimate in big family EVs.

But how does the ID Buzz perform? This RWD has a 77 kWh usable battery which will offer 0 – 62 times of 10.2 seconds, 90 mph top speeds and 150 kW (or 201hp). Expect a combined winter range of 180 miles with warmer weather allowing for 240 miles.

On charging, the 11 kW AC max will allow 8 hour and 15 minute 0 – 100% charging times with the 175 kW DC maximum allowing 30-minute 10 – 80% times. A huge cargo volume of 1121L is available with this car. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 110 mpg. You can tow 1000 kg (braked) or 750kg (unbraked). It also has no V2L or V2G capabilities.

In terms of the car shown, the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ ESTATE 150kW Style Pro 77kWh 5dr Auto (Pure Electric Vehicle), this is based on the following configuration

•  Starlight Blue Metallic paint
•  Fabric Miwo - Mistral/X-Blue with X-Blue/Silver Birch dashboard
•  Silver birch decorative trims
•  Black steering wheel and integ
•  Infotainment package Plus with 12 inch colour touchscreen
•  Open and Close Package Plus 

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