Volkswagen is giving people what they want — an all-electric, fully fledged camper van that can be assembled in minutes. The ID. California Cruise is coming as the first all-electric California camper.
Volkswagen reveals first electric California camper van
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Stuff Bubble, which developed the world’s first inflatable camping kitchen, have teamed up to develop a new family of electric camper vans.
“This partnership gives us the opportunity to rethink the campervan,” Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles CEO, Stefan Mecha, said.
At Caravan Salon 2026 later this month, Volkswagen will unveil two new camper van concepts: the ID. California Cruise, the first fully electric member of the California family, and the California Beach, which the company says will unlock “maximum freedom.”
Volkswagen and Stuff Bubble are developing new inflatable camping equipment, or modules, that are lighter and easier to install.
According to VW, the special parts turn an everyday van into a “fully-fledged camper in just a few minutes,” without adding unnecessary weight or permanent fixtures.
The solution is perfect for those who “still want to enjoy the comforts of camping on spontaneous getaways, festival weekends, or outdoor adventures,” the company said. Unlike traditional camper van conversions, the parts can be installed by one person and removed just as quickly.
The inflatable kitchen was specifically designed to fit in the luggage shelf of the California Beach, with “full kitchen functionality,” despite weighing less than 23 lbs (10 kg). It even includes a closed water system.
The new inflatable bed is just as flexible, weighing just 12 lbs (6 kg) as a single or 26 lbs (12 kg) as a double.
Even with the bed installed, there’s plenty of room in the camper to cook, move around, or store things. The concept shown has enough room for four people to sleep.
At Caravan Salon, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will reveal the ID. California Cruise for the first time. While the company didn’t share any other details, it did say the electric camper van will be based on the ID. Buzz.
Like the ID. Buzz, the ID. California Cruise will likely be available with 79- or 86-kWh battery pack options, which provide WLTP ranges of around 250-300 miles, depending on the trim.
The ID. California Cruise “marks an important milestone towards an entirely new generation of all-electric campervans,” Volkswagen said, set to arrive through 2028.
Volkswagen will reveal full details during Caravan Salon, which runs from August 28 to September 6. Check back for more.
Will Volkswagen bring the electric van to the US? It has yet to be confirmed, but Volkswagen doesn’t sell the current California camper van in the US.
The ID. Buzz is back on sale. After a brief hiatus, Volkswagen launched the 2027 ID. Buzz with a new Tourer model (pictured above) that essentially turns it into a camper van with a fold-out mattress and Overnight Mode. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the ID. California Cruise go on sale in some form in the US as well.
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