The new Volkswagen California campervan will be officially revealed on 7 May, boasting extensive upgrades that will see the model into its seventh generation.
We saw the Volkswagen Multivan-based California concept in August last year, which Volkswagen said previewed the “future of the camper van" in near-production form with significant changes.
Set to move over to VW's car-derived MQB architecture, the new California will also gain a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time.
On the concept, the van's powertrain combined a 148bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine with a 114bhp electric motor for a combined 215bhp. It draws EV power from a 13kWh battery - which should give an engine-off range of around 25 miles.
One of the big updates to the Ford Transit Custom Nugget rival is a second sliding door, which resolves a key grievance for current California owners in right-hand-drive markets because the outgoing T6.1 model only opens on the right-hand side, which can complicate kerbside drop-offs.
Having the pair of sliding doors also allows for the kitchen – with larger worktops, a hob, a cool box and a sink – to be accessed from outside the vehicle for the first time. This gives owners “the feeling of more living space”, the brand says. Built-in extendable awnings give a further increase to this living area.
The concept brings with it modern touches including colour-adjustable LEDs that light up the cupboards and the awning arms to “bathe the vehicle’s terrace” in light. A removable camping light is also fitted. There's even a built-in shower that attaches to the boot's open hatch.
But the key feature – one that the brand says makes the concept “the ideal camper van for the modern age” – is a new removable tablet device. This controls “all of the features relevant for camping”, such as raising the pop-up roof and providing information on the fresh and waste water levels, the interior lighting functions, power supply status, refrigerator and auxiliary. It can even be used to watch movies and television.
