ID.Buzz California electric camper delayed

author: FutureCar Staff    

If you were eagerly anticipating the release of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz California, a full-fledged electric camper, you'll have to wait a bit longer. Despite ongoing work, Volkswagen has no plans to release the ID.Buzz California anytime soon.

While fully electric camper vans are possible, VW commercial vehicles won't be offering one in the near future. Despite the high demand for an electric camper version of the ID.Buzz, Volkswagen has stated that it would be too heavy. According to VW commercial vehicles, equipping the all-electric camper with the same features as the current VW California would result in a weight of at least three tons.

As a result, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz California would exceed the weight limit for those holding a European category B driving license (up to 3.5 tons total weight), based on the payload.

Therefore, the upcoming VW California 6.1 will not be based on the ID.Buzz and will not retain the same name. Instead, it will be called the Multivan.

Volkswagen will unveil its "California Concept" at the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon, taking place from August 25 to September 3, 2023. This concept will be based on VW's Multivan with a long wheelbase and hybrid drivetrain.

According to reports, the production version of the California Concept is planned to begin rolling out next summer at VW Commercial Vehicles in Hannover, Germany.

While Volkswagen is not ruling out the possibility of an ID.Buzz California, bringing it to market within this decade will be a challenge. The camper version would require new battery technology with increased energy density, extended range, and lower costs. Volkswagen will continue to develop this technology over the next several years.

Despite the delay in the electric camper version, the ID.Buzz has already generated significant demand since its launch last year. In the first half of this year, 2,279 ID.Buzz models were registered, with an additional 536 registrations in July. This growth has likely helped Volkswagen surpass Tesla in EV registrations in Germany through July of this year.

While Volkswagen may not have the technology right now to make the ID.Buzz California practical, other companies have proven that all-electric campers are possible. Companies like Winnebago offer fully electric campers, and others provide extension kits for existing vehicles, such as Alpincamper or TC Conversion. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz released its VAN.EA platform in May, which will host its next-generation electric vans, including campers.

While it may be challenging, Volkswagen has recently partnered with several outside companies to outsource EV technology, including XPeng and Hyundai Mobis. This indicates that they are actively working towards developing the necessary technology for future electric camper models.

FutureCar Staff