Auto CEO reveals major EV expansion for popular campervan brand – but warns launch depends on ‘customer response’

A MAJOR automaker is launching a line of all-electric vans for those who love the outdoors.

However, the company will be monitoring sales figures extremely closely.

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Volkswagen has developed the seventh generation of the California Camper van – which, despite the name, will not be sold in the United States anytime soon.

The cars use hybrid power and at the same time have adequate cargo space for campers.

In addition to the plug-in hybrid option, the trailer can also come in a turbodiesel or gasoline variant to appeal to a variety of customers.

The California was first developed in 2004 and has since been incredibly popular in Europe, especially for those who follow the “home is where you park” philosophy.

Volkswagen has maintained a retro design to appeal to customers of different age groups, with many standard features – such as a folding bed, removable captain’s chairs, a refrigerator and plenty of storage compartments.

The 2025 model year will come with more space, more trim levels and gorgeous colors.

Additionally, there will also be a line of EV campers based on the California model called “Space” that will be released in the coming years.

“The new generation will be a line of all-electric models called Space,” said Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles CEO Carsten Intra. Auto Express UK.

“At Space we will have fully electric campervans – from the Grand California to the smaller ones; the next generation will be a big step.”

With a careful phasing technique, Intra hopes to eventually eliminate all commercial vehicles with an EV version.

“From the second half of this decade we will have the Crafter [van] replaced, and then it will happen step by step,” he said.

“This will also have camper versions – it’s not the first step, but we’ll definitely do it.”

Intra also said that a camper version of the ID. Buzz, the all-electric version of the company’s beloved bus, is in the works.

However, Intra said it will keep an eye on sales numbers to determine whether or not the market is ready for an EV camper.

“We’re working on it,” he continued.

“We have not announced a specific date [for Buzz] yet, because we are waiting for the customer’s response on this. Today we don’t have that push for an all-electric trailer.”

Electric vs gas vehicles

Pros and cons of electric vehicles versus gasoline-powered vehicles

EV PROS:

• Convenient (when charging at home)
• Cheapest (depending on the state or city)
• Cheaper maintenance due to lack of mechanical parts
• Great for commuting
• Reduced CO2 emissions
• Federal and state tax incentives
• More performance (speed, handling – depending on make and model)

EV CONS:

• Higher initial cost
• Higher Insurance Rates
• More frequent tire and brake replacement intervals
• Higher tare weight (thus causing faster wear on crucial parts)
• Low resale value
• High depreciation rates
• Lack of charging infrastructure
• Unreliable public loading (related: slow loading times)
• Poor performance in winter and summer
• Lack of clean energy alternatives means more “dirty energy” from coal and nuclear sources
• Range anxiety

PROS OF GAS:

• Highly developed refueling infrastructure
• Fast replenishment
• Cheapest insurance rates depending on make, model and configuration
• Established repair industry
• Lower initial cost
• Greater range before refueling, especially with hybrids
• Many manufacturers produce engines with almost fewer emissions
• Cheaper refueling depending on location

PROS OF GAS:

• Finite resource (related: heavy dependence on oil)
• Carbon emissions/greenhouse gases
• Higher repair costs
• Higher insurance rates depending on make, model and configuration
• Varying costs at the pump depending on state, city and county

Source: Driver, Perch Energy, Automatic Week

For current customers using its EV vans, the automaker has promised a series of accessories to increase the list of features to be used.

“What we’re testing now is the ‘Night Pack’ – you can sleep in it, it’s all inside; It offers plenty of space for two people,” Intra said.

“That was the first use of the T3 and T4 models – people would work on the car day after day, and on the weekend they would go to a festival or something and sleep in it.”

This is what prompted the EV camper package for the ID. Buzz – but customer satisfaction will be key to keeping or scrapping the feature for future production of EV campers for other models.

“So it’s already done [in Buzz]and now we are waiting for the response, and if the response is good, we can accelerate the schedule,” he said.