Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess has confirmed that the retro-styled I.D. Buzz ‘Microbus’ concept will morph into a production car by 2022. Diess made the announcement at the concept’s debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The I.D. Buzz was first shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit at the start of this year, and the reaction was so positive that the German carmaker has decided to bring it to life. It’ll follow on from a production version of the I.D. electric hatchback, set to launch in 2020 and form part of a family of bespoke EVs. Bosses intend to shift one million electric vehicles annually by 2025.

• Volkswagen I.D. Buzz concept review

Built on the brand’s MEB modular EV platform, the autonomous concept takes many design cues from the Type 2 Microbus of the 1950s. Speaking at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, VW design boss Oliver Stefani told Auto Express: “We would like to bring this back because it fits so well to what the brand stands for: it’s emotional, it has functionality, it makes your life easier.”

“With the MEB platform this is the chance now to get the proportions back,” he added, referring to the fact that you don’t need to have an engine in the front with an EV. “But you can also get much more interior space, almost one class higher.”

Volkswagen I.D. Buzz concept in detail

Although not officially confirmed, it’s thought that the I.D. Buzz minivan will be the figurehead for Volkswagen’s upcoming Uber rival, MOIA – a ride-sharing company set to launch in 2020.