Full range of electric VW campervans incoming, says CEO

The boss of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has revealed plans to extend the reach of its popular California brand, by launching an entire range of campers based on its next-generation electric vans. An ID. Buzz California is also in the works, but its viability apparently depends on “customer response”. 

Speaking from the reveal of the all-new, T7 Multivan-based California, CEO Carsten Intra told Auto Express that every model in the popular California campervan range will eventually be reinvented for the electric era. The process could start within the next couple of years, in line with the brand’s plans to completely overhaul its commercial vehicle line-up.

“The new generation will be an all-electric model line, called Space,” Intra told us. “In the Space we are going to have the all-electric campervans – from the Grand California down to the smaller ones; the next generation will be a really huge step.

“From the second half of this decade we are going to have the Crafter [van] replaced, and then it will go step by step,” he said. “That will have camper versions as well – not the very first step, but for sure, we are going to do it.”

In contrast, Intra told us that preparations for an in-house camper converted version of the popular Volkswagen ID. Buzz are ongoing, but that they were waiting to determine customer appetite for the EV.

“We are working on it,” Intra told us. “We did not announce a specific date [for Buzz] yet, because we are waiting for the customer response on it. Today we don’t have this push for an all-electric camper.”

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is working on a range of accessories to help existing owners make better use of their electric ID vans, however. “What we are testing right now is the ‘Night Package’ – you can sleep in it, everything is in it; it offers a lot of space for two people,” Intra told us. “That was the first use of the T3 and T4 models – people working with the car day by day, and at the weekend they went to a festival or something and slept in it. 

“So that is already done [in Buzz], and now we’re waiting for the response, and if the response is good, we can accelerate the timeline,” he said.

With the latest T7-based California only just revealed and deliveries not due until later this year, it’s likely any forthcoming EV versions will be sold in unison with the petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions, boosting the choice for VW’s loyal camper customers. 

Volkswagen is already dipping its toe in the water with its first ever California plug-in, Intra told us the California PHEV will use “second-generation” technology, with a larger 21kWh battery than is currently offered in the Multivan. This should allow an electric range of up to 100km (62 miles).

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