Automotive

VW Multivan California PHEV camper goes all-terrain & extra outdoorsy

VW Multivan California PHEV camper goes all-terrain & extra outdoorsy
All new Volkswagen California models include a pop-up sleeper roof; the differences come down below
All new Volkswagen California models include a pop-up sleeper roof; the differences come down below
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In addition to 11 single body color options, Volkswagen gives a nod to history with three two-tone body options: Mono Silver/Energetic Orange metallic, Deep Black Pearl/Fontana Red metallic, and Candy White solid/Starlight Blue metallic
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In addition to 11 single body color options, Volkswagen gives a nod to history with three two-tone body options: Mono Silver/Energetic Orange metallic, Deep Black Pearl/Fontana Red metallic, and Candy White solid/Starlight Blue metallic
The all-new Volkswagen California comes built exclusively on the T7 Multivan, which gives it a slightly sleeker look and its very first PHEV powertrain option
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The all-new Volkswagen California comes built exclusively on the T7 Multivan, which gives it a slightly sleeker look and its very first PHEV powertrain option
The California Beach Camper has an airier five-seat interior because its kitchen slides out the tailgate
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The California Beach Camper has an airier five-seat interior because its kitchen slides out the tailgate
No more hideaway door kitchen – the new California Beach Camper uses a slide-out tailgate kitchen with single-burner stove
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No more hideaway door kitchen – the new California Beach Camper uses a slide-out tailgate kitchen with single-burner stove
Inside the new VW California Beach camper van
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Inside the new VW California Beach camper van
In addition to the dedicated camper touchscreen, the infotainment display can be used to control onboard camping features like heat and lighting
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In addition to the dedicated camper touchscreen, the infotainment display can be used to control onboard camping features like heat and lighting
All new Volkswagen California models include a pop-up sleeper roof; the differences come down below
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All new Volkswagen California models include a pop-up sleeper roof; the differences come down below
Some California models include a folding table and chair set that stores in the load area and encourage more time spent outdoors
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Some California models include a folding table and chair set that stores in the load area and encourage more time spent outdoors
The California Beach Tour and Beach Camper include a full-width folding bed in the cabin
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The California Beach Tour and Beach Camper include a full-width folding bed in the cabin
The new California stands the same 199 cm as the California 6.1, meaning it can fit into parking decks without issue
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The new California stands the same 199 cm as the California 6.1, meaning it can fit into parking decks without issue
The California Coast pictured is one of two models with the driver-side kitchen, the other being the flagship Ocean
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The California Coast pictured is one of two models with the driver-side kitchen, the other being the flagship Ocean
All new California models feature a cozy pop-up roof with double bed
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All new California models feature a cozy pop-up roof with double bed
The underpinnings may have changed, but the California name lives on
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The underpinnings may have changed, but the California name lives on
The new kitchen block moves farther back to open up an entryway in the door (at least when the extension is folded down)
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The new kitchen block moves farther back to open up an entryway in the door (at least when the extension is folded down)
Volkswagen California Ocean - the flagship of the family
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Volkswagen California Ocean - the flagship of the family
No bathroom, but an outdoor shower connection provides some onboard cleaning power
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No bathroom, but an outdoor shower connection provides some onboard cleaning power
Volkswagen's new soft compartments fill out the recesses of the rear windows, providing space for clothing, soft goods and gear
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Volkswagen's new soft compartments fill out the recesses of the rear windows, providing space for clothing, soft goods and gear
A tablet-style touchscreen brings smart camper control and monitoring to the living area and off the driver-area headliner where it was on the California 6.1
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A tablet-style touchscreen brings smart camper control and monitoring to the living area and off the driver-area headliner where it was on the California 6.1
Blinds, blackout shades and windshield cover make for a darker, cooler night of sleep
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Blinds, blackout shades and windshield cover make for a darker, cooler night of sleep
The folding outdoor chairs store in the tailgate
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The folding outdoor chairs store in the tailgate
Some California models boast a push-button pop-up roof
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Some California models boast a push-button pop-up roof
Instead of just one shaded outdoor living space, VW urges new California owners to create two
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Instead of just one shaded outdoor living space, VW urges new California owners to create two
VW California buyers can order the pull-out awning on either side and use something like the pictured sunshade on the other side, creating two separate outdoor living areas from one van
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VW California buyers can order the pull-out awning on either side and use something like the pictured sunshade on the other side, creating two separate outdoor living areas from one van
Pop-tops down and ready to explore - with available PHEV + 4Motion AWD, the new California is ready for all kinds of trips
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Pop-tops down and ready to explore - with available PHEV + 4Motion AWD, the new California is ready for all kinds of trips
The production California loses the indoor/outdoor cooking equipment of the concept that previewed it but retains the easily accessed drawer fridge thanks to the extended wheelbase and set-back kitchen
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The production California loses the indoor/outdoor cooking equipment of the concept that previewed it but retains the easily accessed drawer fridge thanks to the extended wheelbase and set-back kitchen
View gallery - 25 images

No matter how many amazing camper vans other brands come out with, there's still only one Volkswagen California... and it just got a dramatic makeover, from tires to pop-up roof.

The all-new T7 California breaks out of its mini-camper shell as a slightly larger, roomier camper that pushes VW van life into the next generation. Two sliding entries, dual sunshades and new outdoor kitchen equipment invite campers to spend less time scrolling their phones inside van walls and more time immersing themselves in the great outdoors around them. Throw in the California's first-ever combination of plug-in hybrid powertrain and 4Motion all-wheel drive, and this might be Volkswagen's most impressive California ever.

An all-new eco-friendly, all-terrain platform for adventure

Just as Volkswagen said it would, the all-new California has left its long-term Transporter foundation for the loving arms of the versatile Multivan MPV. That's part of a broader commercial vehicles strategy through which VW has teamed with Ford on more basic panel vans, but the big takeaway is that the California starts from an even sweeter base vehicle, a passenger van complete with floor rail modularity, MQB platform-based driver assistance systems, and three different powertrain options.

The all-new Volkswagen California comes built exclusively on the T7 Multivan, which gives it a slightly sleeker look and its very first PHEV powertrain option
The all-new Volkswagen California comes built exclusively on the T7 Multivan, which gives it a slightly sleeker look and its very first PHEV powertrain option

Chief among the powertrains is the plug-in eHybrid that enables Volkswagen to go head to head with its partner-cum-rival Ford in terms of eco-friendly small camper vans that offer zero tailpipe emissions in town and plenty of range beyond town. VW's PHEV powertrain has 5 fewer miles (8 km) of all-electric driving than Ford's, for an estimated 30 (50 km), but gains a welcome new addition: 4Motion all-wheel-drive.

In fact, the California becomes the very first member of the new MQB family to get a 4Motion option. So the already attractive 241-hp PHEV gets even more desirable, putting more traction to the ground in the type of slippery off-road and all-season conditions in which a camper van will inevitably find itself.

No more mini

The new California stands the same 199 cm as the California 6.1, meaning it can fit into parking decks without issue
The new California stands the same 199 cm as the California 6.1, meaning it can fit into parking decks without issue

It's worth noting that Volkswagen leaps right over the standard-wheelbase Multivan to build the new California atop a long-wheelbase model with a total length of 517 cm (204 in). That takes the "mini" right out of the new camper, rising above the 5-m (16.4-ft) cutoff we use to define the mini-camper category. Buyers shouldn't mind, though, as they'll enjoy a little extra length and space.

Unfortunately, those extra inches have not proved enough incentive for VW to carve out a California bathroom, a feature sorely missed by many owners and would-bes. The new California still lacks this everyday necessity, leaving buyers to make their own arrangements or upsize to a Grand California for such conveniences.

The complete California experience, reworked

Volkswagen certainly doesn't let the extra size go to waste, though, putting it to work on several subtle but practical changes. First, it slides the kitchen block rearward, just as it did in the California Concept, to better utilize the driver-side sliding rear door, a new feature for full-blown California campers with kitchens.

Not only does the rear kitchen position open up clear entry and exit for the driver-side rear passenger, it creates more space and comfort for anyone sitting on the swiveled driver seat at camp. It also gives larger drivers more space to adjust the seat backwards.

The set-back kitchen also clears space for Volkswagen to swing the fridge/freezer over to the front end of the console, providing convenient access from inside and out. Not only did the California 6.1 lack this feature before, but campers based on mid-size vans in general tend to lack it, due to the absence of a driver-side rear door and sufficient space behind the driver's seat.

The production California loses the indoor/outdoor cooking equipment of the concept that previewed it but retains the easily accessed drawer fridge thanks to the extended wheelbase and set-back kitchen
The production California loses the indoor/outdoor cooking equipment of the concept that previewed it but retains the easily accessed drawer fridge thanks to the extended wheelbase and set-back kitchen

Volkswagen cuts out the indoor/outdoor cooking flexibility it showed on the California Concept by eliminating the portable stove and open induction cooktop. The high position and one-directional hinged lid on the gas stove impede use from outside the van, so campers will have to cook inside. With that said, those who want to cook outside can simply bring along a portable camping stove of their own and use it on the multi-positional worktop that mounts to the outer wall of the kitchen when it's not being used over top the fridge as a counter extension.

Volkswagen further capitalizes on the T7 Multivan's dual sliding doors to create what it calls a three-zone layout, encouraging van lifers to spend time outdoors. The first zone is the van interior itself, while the other two are the spaces immediately outside each sliding door. Buyers can choose to install the available pull-out awning on either the left or right side, using a sunshade or the like on the opposite side, as shown below.

VW California buyers can order the pull-out awning on either side and use something like the pictured sunshade on the other side, creating two separate outdoor living areas from one van
VW California buyers can order the pull-out awning on either side and use something like the pictured sunshade on the other side, creating two separate outdoor living areas from one van

VW imagines the driver's side being used for meal prep and dining, given its location near the kitchen, and the passenger side more as an open-air lounge for playing games, reading a book, or simply relaxing and taking in the views – a camp couch seems in order for the latter space.

As for the interior, Volkswagen replaces the two-seat rear bench with two individual rear seats mounted to the floor rails. Each 24-kg (53-lb) seat can then remove independently, adding flexibility for managing cargo and passengers. At night, the two seats fold flat to support the 198 x 106-cm (78 x 42-in) foldaway mattress.

Volkswagen California Ocean - the flagship of the family
Volkswagen California Ocean - the flagship of the family

The 205 x 114-cm (81 x 45-in) bed in the pop-up roof finishes off the four-berth camping layout. The pop-top area loses the oversized panoramic mesh featured on last year's concept but still has a window on each of the three fabric walls.

Volkswagen has been working to make its vans more smart home-like, dating back to the integrated control touchscreen in the Grand California. The California 6.1 got an overhead landscape touchscreen in the cockpit headliner, and the new T7 California gets a more neatly integrated tablet-style command screen in the passenger-side C-pillar.

A tablet-style touchscreen brings smart camper control and monitoring to the living area and off the driver-area headliner where it was on the California 6.1
A tablet-style touchscreen brings smart camper control and monitoring to the living area and off the driver-area headliner where it was on the California 6.1

Campers can use the touchscreen to adjust the lighting, refrigerator temperature and auxiliary camp heater or check camper vitals like the 80-Ah lithium leisure battery charge and water tank levels. An accompanying app provides access to the system via mobile devices and the driver's infotainment screen.

Additionally, VW integrates a handy feature into the myriad light switches around the van interior, allowing users to double-tap them to shut off all interior lighting at once – certainly more convenient than crawling to the touchscreen or rummaging around for a smartphone.

Ultralight camper-vanning with the Beach series


Rolling downmarket from the Ocean and Coast models described above, Volkswagen has turned the Beach from a California sub-model into a full three-model family. The most basic is simply "Beach," essentially a Multivan with a manual pop-up sleeper roof. It carries six people around town all week, then sleeps two on weekend adventures, all without the need to install, remove or reorganize any interior seating or camping equipment.

The California Beach Tour and Beach Camper include a full-width folding bed in the cabin
The California Beach Tour and Beach Camper include a full-width folding bed in the cabin

The Beach Tour is a five-seat, four-sleeper light camper that adds a lower bed similar to the one on the Ocean and Coast but wider at 198 x 133 cm (78 x 52-cm). The extra width owes to the lack of a kitchen block, as this van comes set up as a bring-your-own-cooking-gear model. It does get a few extra RV conveniences over the barebones base Beach, bringing in swivel driver and front passenger seats, the C-pillar control touchscreen and a 40-Ah lithium leisure battery.

The five-seat Beach Camper classifies as a full motorhome and includes both sleeping and cooking amenities. Volkswagen has ditched the clever foldaway door panel kitchen from the Beach 6.1, moving the kitchen to the tailgate area. The simple unit includes a single-burner stove, cutlery drawer and additional storage, and a 230-V shore power connection. This "mini-kitchen" is adapted from the one Volkswagen launched on the smaller Caddy California Beach.

No more hideaway door kitchen – the new California Beach Camper uses a slide-out tailgate kitchen with single-burner stove
No more hideaway door kitchen – the new California Beach Camper uses a slide-out tailgate kitchen with single-burner stove

When, where, how much?

Volkswagen plans to launch preordering for the new California in June, so we'll expect pricing information around that time, if not earlier. For reference, current UK California 6.1 base prices with VAT range from £61,462 for Beach models to £74,242 for the Ocean (approx. US$76,750 to $92,700).

The new California will follow the T7 Multivan and last 2.1 generations of California camper vans in not making its way over to the US, regardless of the nation's rightful ownership of California and its scenic, laid-back coastal lifestyle. At least we got Westfalia back.

Source: Volkswagen

View gallery - 25 images
2 comments
2 comments
Global
For that kind of money there should be solar panels all over the top & awnings.
christopher
PHEV, but, no solar, and no induction cooktop, even though they already have the battery and charging electronics sorted?? (gas cooking only, and inside only?... in an extremely confined area!) - what were they thinking?? "Kill our customers who might need to cook when it rains?"