Volkswagen postpones release of ID.Buzz California electric camper

author: FutureCar Staff    

If you were eagerly anticipating the release of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz California, a full-fledged electric camper van, 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 indeed 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 determined 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, which allows for a maximum total weight of 3.5 tons based on the payload. Therefore, the upcoming VW California 6.1 will not be based on the ID.Buzz and will instead be called the Multivan.

VW will be showcasing its "California Concept" at the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon, which will take place from August 25 to September 3, 2023. This concept will be based on VW's Multivan with a long wheelbase and hybrid drivetrain. The production version is scheduled to start rolling out next summer at VW Commercial Vehicles in Hannover, Germany.

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

Despite the delay in releasing the electric camper version, the ID.Buzz has already garnered high 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 alone. This growth has likely tipped the scale, surpassing Tesla in EV registrations in Germany through July of this year.

While Volkswagen may not have the technology at the moment to make the ID.Buzz California a practical reality, other companies have demonstrated that all-electric campers are indeed possible. Companies like Winnebago offer fully electric campers, while others provide extension kits for existing vehicles, such as Alpincamper or TC Conversion. Mercedes-Benz has also released its VAN.EA platform in May, which will host its next-generation electric vans, including campers. Volkswagen has recently partnered with outside companies like XPeng and Hyundai Mobis to outsource EV technology.

FutureCar Staff