New Volkswagen California Beach and ID. California Cruise are headed to this year's Caravan Salon
Caravan Salon 2026 will play host to long-awaited electric VW camper
With record heatwaves sweeping the UK and Europe, now might be the best year to finally scratch that itch and get yourself a campervan - and right on cue Volkswagen has unveiled two new campervans: the California Beach and the ID. California Cruise.
Planned to make their public debut at Caravan Salon later this month, the ID. California Cruise is the first fully-electric California, while the California Beach “rethinks the campervan," says Stefan Mecha, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
The only issue is that both vehicles are concepts, but there’s hope for fans of electric campervans because Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles says the ID. California Cruise “lays the foundation for a new family of electric campervans”, which the firm says will be introduced “step by step through to 2028”. VW also says it will gather customer feedback on the California Beach at the Caravan Salon “to help shape future development” too.
We’re yet to see the ID. California Cruise, but we know it’ll be based on the ID. Buzz electric MPV. Volkswagen says the concept will transfer “the freedom, versatility and everyday practicality that define the California family into the age of electric mobility”. Using the same MEB platform as the ID. Buzz means there’s a choice of battery sizes available to the ID. California Cruise. The SWB (short wheelbase) ID. Buzz features a 79kWh battery that’s good for up to 283 miles of range, while the 86kWh pack in the LWB (long wheelbase) can provide up to 293 miles. With all the amenities (and their weight) usually associated with a VW camper, those range figures might be optimistic for the ID. California Cruise.
The California Beach has been developed in collaboration with VW’s ‘innovation partner’ Stuff Bubble, and we can already see what it looks like, inside and out. Stuff Bubble, creator of the world's first inflatable camping kitchen, has employed this technology to the California Beach. One of the key benefits, according to VW, is the lack of weight associated with this kit, along with the simplicity of installation.
The inflatable kitchen, for example, weighs less than 10kg while the double bed only weighs 12kg. There’s also a cooker, but both the kitchen and bed elements can be removed entirely, adding to the California Beach’s versatility.
More information on the California Beach and the global unveil of the ID. California Cruise will take place during the Caravan Salon, which runs from 28 August to 6 September in Düsseldorf, Germany.
With these innovative modules, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Stuff Bubble demonstrate how the gap between a flexible leisure vehicle and a traditionally fully equipped campervan could be bridged in the future.
During the exhibition, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Stuff Bubble will gather customer feedback on the concept to help shape future development.
More precisely, at the upcoming Caravan Salon 2026, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and one of its partners, Stuff Bubble, will present a “world-first concept” for the new California Beach. Actually, it’s two novelties, both developed exclusively for this vehicle: two concept modules, an inflatable kitchen and a flexible bed system, opening up “entirely new possibilities for life on the road and marking a significant leap forward in modular camping solutions.”
The other highlight will be the world premiere of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' first fully electric California: the ID. California Cruise, “which lays the foundation for a new family of electric campervans.” The new model will be sourced from the ID. Buzz, and is set to transfer “the freedom, versatility and everyday practicality that define the California family into the age of electric mobility.”
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