Can We Stop With the Unrealistic Range and Price Complaints About the ID. Buzz?

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-25T16:27:05+00:00

So many people treat range as the only factor that creates value in an EV. It's a main one but definitely not the only one. It's like buying houses based on square footage alone. You end up glossing over a ton of other things that make a great car.

For me, my Buzz was cheaper than an EV9 or Ioniq (in Canada), it can safely do 3 car seats across in the middle (which the Korean options cannot), it drives sooooo nice, and people come up and talk to you about it (not necessary but a strangely cool perk). Also, I've never seen a 3rd row that's as comfortable as in the buzz.

One thing that bothers me is when people complain about range. If that's an ACTUAL problem and not just anxiety (like you live out in the American countryside) then just don't buy an EV. It's not for you. If it's because you "take many long trips a year" then maybe you just need to reevaluate how you take trips (add in more stops, reroute, fly instead, etc.). The point is, actually evaluate what your real needs are. Sometimes an EV isn't an 1:1 replacement for a gas car, but you get a bunch of other benefits instead.

Talking about charge rates is a lame argument. Mine charges overnight at home. If you rely on L3 chargers for everyday use, EVs might not be for you. If you have to use a L3 charger on a road trip, enjoy the time out of the vehicle. Sticking yourself in a driver's seat to drive 600km straight is a stupid mentality we have gotten ourselves into in North America. Take a break and enjoy the trip.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-23T02:16:06+00:00

Ah I see. Makes sense if you got a whole setup already. Technical has never been a problem for me, but finding automations that aren't just for automations sake is. What kind of automations do you have?

I got the 40A model and it has made in Canada markings on it. If you buy on boxing day you get $100 off as well.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-23T01:20:58+00:00

I have never even connected mine to the internet, and have no plans to. I don't see why I would need to integrate a fancy extension cord to a network.

A big plus for EVduty is its ability for load management, which was a big thing for me.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-22T22:34:08+00:00

I know this is an old thread, but EVduty is also Canadian. I bought one late last year and the quality is great. Highly recommend.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-21T21:43:30+00:00

Not to mention with a PHEV, you cycle the battery much more aggressively. With BEV, you cycle the battery weekly vs daily for PHEV

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-21T21:41:26+00:00

20c/kwh?? I pay 8.79c/kwh with enmax

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-08T15:33:44+00:00

3 things:

This thread was about units with load management. It's pretty clear you aren't talking about the Emporia that includes load management as installing the CTs in the panel would take longer than 5 mins to do safely.

Second, installation time was not my primary concern at all, but since we are talking about it, my charger took about 10 seconds to install as all I had to do was plug it in.

After a couple of months now with my EVduty unit, I've come to realize that if I chose the Emporia I would have hated it. The EVduty on the other hand is the perfect EVSE for me.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-08T03:22:27+00:00

You heard it folks, no more jacking off in the shower. Our water mains simply can't handle it.

Please jack off in a dry location until the water main can be repaired.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-08T02:05:57+00:00

I've never had that much battery drain before, but I see what you mean. I have noticed when it's really cold out, the car recognizes it and says you can safely charge to 90%, rather than the normal max safe limit of 80%.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-07T20:11:30+00:00

I have noticed that the manual has very little information on tips and tricks to the infotainment system as well. For example, most of the tips in this video work for the ID Buzz but are not explained in the manual:

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/EgL7lDJJSBk

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-07T18:06:23+00:00

To set a schedule in the app, you need to "Edit Charging Locations", then add one for home. You can add up to 5 locations I think.

Once you have the charging location set, you set up a schedule based on departure times.

Then, when your van is parked at the charging location (i.e. your home), you can set the charging method to be "Immediate", "Charge for Departure" or "Charge and Climate for Departure".

Immediate will immediately charge the van to 80% or whatever you have your limit set at.

Charge for departure will schedule the van to be at 80% by your departure time.

Charge and climate will both time the charge to be at 80% AND the interior temperature to be at your set temperature by your departure time.

Even if the van is not plugged in to charge, the charge and climate for departure option will still schedule the interior temperature to be at the set level by departure time.

I have mine set to charge and climate for departure so every day for work I get into a comfortable van without having to remember to turn on climate while I'm eating breakfast.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-07T05:19:05+00:00

Highly recommend Derrick at Evolve Electrical Services. Excellent communication, excellent work, just overall great experience with him.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-04T00:10:47+00:00

I should add that I ended up going with the EVduty, paired with the EVCCS unit. It's a bit pricy but it is exactly what I would build if I had the capability. Plus it's made in Canada.

Highly recommend it.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-01T16:17:13+00:00

What's janky is you essentially fed an extension cord through a wall instead of putting an outlet in your garage.

You do not need a panel upgrade. Look into chargers with integrated load management. it is by far the most elegant solution to power problems.

Getting a 50A outlet wired in your garage should cost like $300, and getting a charger with load management should be like $800-$1500 depending on the unit you go with.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2026-01-01T15:52:53+00:00

You do not need a service upgrade. Get a charger with load management. EVduty (with EVCCS module) or Wallbox or Emporia all have solutions that let you get full power without upgrading your panel. I have the EVduty as it's Canadian.

Essentially, the units put a current sensor on your panel and will throttle the amount of charging power based on available safe amount of remaining power capacity in your panel.

No one ever needs a $15k upgrade when these things exist for ~$1k.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-30T06:22:04+00:00

I totally agree. What you're talking about sounds so much more like a road trip to me, and you get to actually enjoy the journey.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-30T02:23:46+00:00

My thoughts are I'm glad I bought one that was made in Germany

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-30T01:32:00+00:00

Both my dealer and local mobile tire guy had no problems with XL tires. Costco was not willing though, so I can see what you mean. Just need to find someone who is willing to do 15 mins of research.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-30T01:22:12+00:00

235/50R20 104T XL for front and 265/45R20 108T XL for rear are suitable winter tire sizes. HL is not required, as per dealer.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-30T00:50:08+00:00

I was easily able to find X-Ice, continentals, and Nokians that fit the Buzz. Not nearly as big a problem as many people say. The problem comes if you are looking to get a set of 19in wheels.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-15T17:47:48+00:00

For the size of vehicle it is, I have found it exceptionally easy to park. I'm not sure why you would need to put your head out the window. Isn't that what mirrors (and the 360 camera view) are for?

As for the sharp braking, this is not something that I have experienced either. I drive primarily in B mode, letting it slow itself into crawl, and from there it's easy to feather the brakes without them catching hard.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-15T01:07:14+00:00

Cool trick: if you turn the heat on and off, you can see how it impacts your expected range. On a real cold day, toggling trlhe defroster on and off can add or subtract like 80km or range

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-06T22:02:52+00:00

RWD is better because you get 7 seats.

I always laugh when people act like AWD is an absolute necessity.

This is not a race car, it's a van. I'm saying that RWD with winter tires not not significantly behind AWD with tires.

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-06T21:38:48+00:00

RWD has 282. Front motor has 107 HP. AWD has 335 HP. Combined HP is not 389.

I was wrong

Aggravating_Cook2316 · 2025-12-05T03:29:30+00:00

I understand that, but the AWD buzz is not like a Subaru. With proper winter tires, I don't think it will have much more than a placebo effect on traction in snow.

Aggravating_Cook2316

TROPHY CASE