Though the ID.5 (right) was the real star of the show, the ID.BUZZ stole the spotlight in the closing moments of its reveal video. (Image/Volkswagen)

While much of the gearhead world was focused on the 2021 SEMA Show, late last week Volkswagen pulled the wraps off its Tesla-fighting ID.5 electric vehicle.

Through the course of a roughly 10-minute hype video preceding the new ID.5 launch, VW showed us the ID.5’s features, tech, and styling.

…All pretty standard vehicle reveal-ly type stuff.

But then! In the closing moments, the presenters began a tongue-in-cheek sidebar and shifted the camera abruptly from the ID.5 to a seemingly production-ready ID.BUZZ that was sitting slightly off screen.

Considering it’ll likely be in production this time next year, we assume this is very close to what VW will put on the streets. (Image/Volkswagen

Why is this news? Especially after VW already said the ID.BUZZ would see production?

Well, it basically confirms that VW was serious about faithfully reincarnating the classic “hippie bus” as an EV for the 21st century. After teasing us with fantastic VW Microbus concepts for years, many cynics mused that the actual production ID.BUZZ would be a more traditionally-styled (read: mundane) crossover SUV.

Wearing lime-green paint and a pair of surfboards up top, many hoped the production ID.BUZZ would remain true to the concept vehicle seen here. (Image/Volkswagen)

But it looks like VW stuck with the throwback look.

VW has announced the ID.BUZZ European launch is happening in the third quarter of next year, and the U.S. will get it sometime in 2023, which likely means the automaker is tooling up its factories soon.

In other words, the pre-production ID.BUZZ we see in the ID.5 video is probably pretty darn close to what we’ll get when VW starts cranking them out for real.

While it’s awash in an expected amount dazzle paint, we can see the basic lines of the pre-production ID.BUZZ are pretty faithful to its inspiration. (Image/Volkswagen)

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