Volkswagen ID. California: Electric camper-van version of ID. Buzz confirmed

Volkswagen is to develop an ID. California electric camper van that'll serve as a zero-emissions equivalent to its existing highly popular Caddy California, California and Grand California camper models.

Just as the combustion-engined Californias are based on Volkswagen's Caddy, Transporter and Crafter commercial vans, the ID. California will be a variant of the ID. Buzz, which is set to be unveiled in both minibus and van form during 2022. Pictured above is the concept version of the minibus.

The news came as part of an announcement on the future of Volkswagen's Hannover plant in Germany, which currently produces the Transporter 6.1 van and minibus and will also build the new Multivan hybrid people carrier along with the passenger and cargo versions of the Buzz. The ID. California is set to join the fray "in the second half of the decade" – so it'll be 2025 at the earliest before it hits the road.

We can anticipate that it'll share much of the ID. Buzz's drivetrain technology, however, so although nothing has been confirmed yet, battery sizes up to 111kWh, ranges well over 300 miles, 135kW rapid charging and a choice of single or more powerful dual-motor setups, putting out almost 300bhp, are all possible.

Speaking about the announcements, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) Dr Carsten Intra said: "Today's decisions confirm our future course: we are developing Hannover into a multi-brand and high-tech site and at the same time strengthening our own commercial-vehicle model range. And we’re investing in the sustainable expansion of our successful California model series."

At present, no mainstream manufacturer offers an electric camper van in the UK, although there are specialist companies carrying out camper conversions of people-carrier models such as the Nissan e-NV200 Combi. Furthermore, LEVC's VN5 range-extender hybrid van is available in e-Camper form, while Renault has previewed its upcoming Trafic E-TECH electric van in the form of an elaborate camper concept and Nissan showed a 'Winter Camper' concept based on the e-NV200 Combi in January 2021.