Another blow for electric mobility: Volkswagen sees no market for a camper-converted ID.Buzz

With the arrival of electric cars from the major brands, demand for electric cars was expected to take off and many prospective buyers were expected to turn to this type of vehicle. But although sales of these vehicles are growing, we see that it is not as fast as we expected. Yes, electric cars from all brands are being sold, but not at the pace that was expected, nor are all the types of vehicles that have been launched.

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz is an electric van that offers considerable range. And of course, a version of one of the brand’s best-known vans could not be missing: the legendary California. This model is usually used for camper conversions. And the idea, of course, was to create a camper conversion of this electric variant as well.

But almost from the moment this project was announced, delays began to affect it. The plan was to launch this camper van shortly after the regular model’s debut and equip it with features for enjoying free time and leisure. It seemed the team was facing several problems and the model was not arriving.

The camper van was to be based on the long-wheelbase version, equipped with a battery of up to 111 kWh, and would have enough range to enjoy many hours of outdoor fun. But Volkswagen has come face to face with reality: there is no market for an electric camper van.

Development of the van is progressing well and, although the brand is encountering all the usual problems typical of this kind of vehicle, it has not been given the green light for market launch. For now, it remains on the back burner while the brand waits for demand for these vehicles to increase.

The Volkswagen California, ready to reach the market

Meanwhile, Volkswagen wants to launch its next version of the California. It is based on the T7 Multivan and was unveiled as a prototype at the end of summer. This variant will have a plug-in hybrid drive system and is expected to be the bridge from the ICE-powered versions to the electric one.