Inside Id.buzz Camping: Pop-top, Camping Mode, And 2026 Availability With Harley From Peace Vans

We’re diving deep into the world of electric camping with the custom-built pop-top in the US for the VW ID. Buzz!

Join Jan from the VW Talk Podcast as he chats with Harley from Peace Vans about their groundbreaking conversion.

In this video, we cover:

The Pop-Top Revolution: Why this custom-designed top is a game-changer for ID. Buzz owners, offering standing room, extra sleeping quarters, and minimal range loss.

Camping in an EV: How the ID. Buzz handles extreme cold, and what to expect from upcoming software updates like 'Camping Mode' and 'Dog Mode'.

ID. Buzz Availability in 2026: Debunking the rumors and exploring the real opportunities for owning an ID. Buzz in the coming years.

Peace Vans has a long history of restoring classic VW campers, and they’ve brought all that expertise to the ID. Buzz. Whether you’re a surfer, a soccer parent, or a weekend adventurer, this conversion opens up a world of possibilities.

Check out the  VWIDTalk Podcast on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts ( Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, Overdrive and more).

A transcript, cleaned up by AI and edited by a staffer, is below.

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Transcript:

Harley:

Hello. We’re coming to you from the top—literally. Pop top. This is exciting. We’ve known each other for a little while now, and we actually just put out a blog post about the pop top side of things. What we talk about there is the long history of pop tops and Volkswagen. It’s kind of like baseball and apple pie—whatever the European equivalent of that is. The two just go together.

When the ID. Buzz was announced for the North American market, we immediately thought, someone has to do a pop top for it. And honestly, we’re the ones to do it. I’m really excited about this. It’s a beautiful addition, and we’ll show you some of the details because this pop top was designed specifically for the ID. Buzz. It’s not an afterthought. It’s not something that was adapted from another vehicle. This was built for the Buzz from the ground up.

So in this video, we’re going to talk about the pop top itself, some camping mode options, and finally the availability of the ID. Buzz in 2026—because the news there may be better than some people expect.

Host:

That sounds like three great topics. Let’s start with the pop top.

Harley:

Building a pop top for the ID. Buzz is almost a career highlight for me. I’ve been in camper conversions for about 15 years now. Our core business has always been restoring and repairing classic Volkswagens. If you look at the parking lot next door—which isn’t so little—we usually have 50 to 75 T2s and T3s, all with different pop-top variations.

We could have retrofitted something, like we did with the Mercedes Metris, but we wanted to do this properly. We worked with our partners at C.F. Maier, the global leader in pop tops, to build something specifically for the ID. Buzz.

So why a pop top? To me, there are three big benefits. First, you can stand up inside the vehicle. When the top is raised, you can flip the bed up and have full standing room through about two-thirds of the cabin. That’s especially useful if you have a full camper conversion—cooking, hanging out, or just moving around comfortably.

Second, it creates a true upstairs bedroom. It’s actually a bit larger than a queen-size bed, and it really functions as a separate sleeping space.

Third, it extends the usability of the bus. If you want to use it as a daily driver but still sleep in it, you don’t have to convert the lower area every night. Your sleeping space is already upstairs.

Host:

Anything else you’d add?

Harley:

You covered most of it. We see a lot of Buzz owners—surfers, parents, outdoor enthusiasts—who just want more usable space. People want to change into wetsuits at the beach, stand up while waiting for kids at sports practices, or just enjoy the open-air feel. Sitting up here, you really feel that extra room and connection to the outside.

When I think about the audience for this pop top, it’s both new buyers and existing ID. Buzz owners. There are already over 5,000 Buzz owners in the U.S., and if you want to extend your living space, this is a great option.

We manufacture the pop tops in Colorado with an experienced team. There is a waitlist—our next installation appointments are currently around March. We’ve installed over 1,000 pop tops on Mercedes Metris vans, so we know what we’re doing.

Safety was a major focus. These pop tops are designed to meet TÜV standards, which are actually more rigorous than U.S. federal safety standards. We’ve been through this process before and know exactly what’s required.

Aerodynamically, the impact is minimal. Estimated range loss is around 10 miles, which isn’t significant. The top was designed for comfort, safety, and efficiency. As you can see, two adults can comfortably sit up here. And unlike older VW pop tops, you can sleep in either direction without losing headroom. There’s also a lot of thought put into details like the zip-down screens and privacy features. This really is a next-generation design.

Host:

Let’s talk about camping mode.

Harley:

We’ve worked closely with Volkswagen dealers and executives, and while an official camping mode may come via an over-the-air update at some point, there are already ways to manage heating and cooling through the infotainment system. You can schedule up to two sessions overnight or early in the morning to warm or cool the cabin.

One of our team members actually drove this ID. Buzz from Seattle to Colorado for the pop-top install and spent the night in Wyoming in about five-degree weather. With insulated window coverings, it was well below zero Celsius, and he stayed comfortable. He woke up a couple of times, turned the heat on, warmed the cabin, and went back to sleep. In the morning, same thing—it worked really well.

What’s nice is that the pop top is fully integrated with the cabin below, so heating and cooling flows naturally throughout the space. We also don’t see much range loss. Heating overnight might cost around seven to eight miles of range, depending on usage. It’s minimal unless you’re running it at maximum output all night.

Some owners worry about turning on the heat and not having enough range to drive the next day, but in real-world use, it hasn’t been an issue.

Host:

That’s reassuring. So what’s happening with the ID. Buzz in 2026?

Harley:

This is where things get interesting. We’re sitting here at the end of December, and some news came out recently about Volkswagen not introducing a 2026 model year ID. Buzz. That didn’t surprise us much, since there are no changes from 2025 to 2026.

But the key takeaway is this: yes, you can still buy a new ID. Buzz in 2026. It may be labeled as a 2025 model, but it will still be available—and likely at a very good price. Dealers have strong incentives, good inventory, and solid options.

If anyone wants help, you can reach out to us. We work with a network of knowledgeable dealers who understand the vehicle well and have inventory available.

Host:

That’s great news.

Harley:

Absolutely. Check the link below to get in line for the pop top. Thanks for joining me, and thanks for helping build this extension of the ID. Buzz’s capability.

Please subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you next time.