Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will unveil its first fully electric California campervan later this week, alongside a new inflatable camping system designed to turn the California Beach into a lightweight camper.
The ID. California Cruise will make its world premiere at Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, which opens on 28 August, and will be based on the electric Volkswagen ID Buzz.
Read our Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo review
Volkswagen says the concept will lay the foundations for a new family of electric campervans, with further models due to be introduced progressively through to 2028.
Technical details have yet to be announced, with Volkswagen promising further information when the vehicle is revealed at the show.
Yes, you heard that right. Alongside the electric camper, Volkswagen will show a new modular camping system for the California Beach developed with Stuff Bubble.
The concept uses an inflatable kitchen and lightweight bed system in place of conventional permanently installed camper furniture, allowing the equipment to be fitted and removed when required.
The kitchen has been designed specifically around the existing luggage shelf mounting system in the California Beach and measures approximately 1200mm long, 440mm wide and 475mm high.
Despite incorporating a closed water circuit, the complete kitchen weighs less than 10kg. It can also be split into sections, allowing it to be used inside or outside the vehicle.
A separate bed system provides a sleeping area measuring approximately 2000mm by 1340mm and uses a multi-layer breathable construction.
It can be configured as either a 12kg double bed or a 6kg single, with Volkswagen claiming the California Beach can sleep up to four people when the system is installed.
Both modules can be removed by one person and stored away when not required, avoiding the additional weight and loss of space associated with permanently installed camper furniture.
Volkswagen says reducing the weight of the camping equipment should also help protect the vehicle’s payload and efficiency while allowing the California Beach to continue to be used as an everyday passenger vehicle.
Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said the company was looking to lightweight technologies already used in areas including kite sports, paragliding and inflatable tents.
“Our strategic approach is to free the classic campervan from heavy materials and rigid installations, replacing them with flexible, modular solutions,” Mecha said.
Volkswagen and Stuff Bubble will gather feedback from visitors at Caravan Salon before determining the future development of the equipment.
Both concepts will make their world premieres at Caravan Salon, which runs from 28 August to 6 September in Düsseldorf.
