Volkswagen has announced two new camping vans for the upcoming Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf: both are fully electric and bet on lightweight equipment to deliver the best possible experience when mixing camping with daily driving.
One is called the ID. California Cruise and runs on the same technical underpinnings as the ID. Buzz. It comes with a folding bed, a cozy-looking interior with blinds on the windows, and a climate control system capable of running 48 hours non-stop. Unfortunately, the official announcement doesn’t seem to be accompanied by any photos or even renderings of this model.
The vehicle seen above is known as the ID. California Beach and runs on Multivan T7 hardware. Its biggest highlight right now is an ultra-lightweight kitchen module coming in below 10 kilograms (22 pounds). Rather than requiring a manual deployment every time, the module automatically pops up as it is inflated by a compressor.
We assume it then stays up thanks to an internal frame, although this might be something to clarify with the vendor. Based on the images, it includes a convenient tabletop for preparing meals, a sink with a faucet, and a mini-stove with a single burner. Volkswagen claims you can easily detach the kitchen module and take it outside when camping.
A similar design approach was used when designing the bed. It measures 2,000 x 1,340 mm (78.7 x 52.8 inches) large but manages to weigh as little as 6 kilos (13.2 lbs) if rated for one person or 12 kilos (26.5 lbs) if rated for two adults. Another lightweight bed resides under the camper’s pop-up top, meaning the California Beach can accommodate up to four people.
More details will be revealed at the Caravan Salon event starting in Düsseldorf, Germany on August 28, 2026.