Volkswagen Multivan Camper - new non-California model

[FivetonesCali]

Volkswagen’s new Multivan Camper is a blank canvas for your perfect bespoke hotel on wheels

New campervan conversion variant of the Volkswagen Multivan is offered with diesel or plug-in hybrid power

www.whatcar.com

Interesting move but too expensive. Is this a tacit admission that they can’t get the New California right?

 

[Dixiewixie]

Feels like a good move to me. This forum has discussed at length the variety of needs from the Cali community - this move would ensure there is a version out there for everyone!

 

[Dixiewixie]

They need to get this tech / range into a decent shaped van…can’t be long before the Chinese get something on the road!

https://www.cherycar.co.uk/models/tiggo-9-csh?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22986933829&gclid=CjwKCAiAncvMBhBEEiwA9GU_fo6QyhPeabfDDrIki6_VFD35aea8bTP4zP4IaKr9ZUFVq_CSwbfHyBoCyrwQAvD_BwE

i wonder how much of this is willingness to market stats from the manufacturer with small print caveats? Haven’t seen a published ‘combined range’ for the Cali PHEV

 

[stoobthealien]

They need to get this tech / range into a decent shaped van…can’t be long before the Chinese get something on the road!

https://www.cherycar.co.uk/models/tiggo-9-csh?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22986933829&gclid=CjwKCAiAncvMBhBEEiwA9GU_fo6QyhPeabfDDrIki6_VFD35aea8bTP4zP4IaKr9ZUFVq_CSwbfHyBoCyrwQAvD_BwE

I've thought for a while that the Chinese electric vans are going to be prime for conversion soon

 

[FivetonesCali]

They need to get this tech / range into a decent shaped van…can’t be long before the Chinese get something on the road!

https://www.cherycar.co.uk/models/tiggo-9-csh?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22986933829&gclid=CjwKCAiAncvMBhBEEiwA9GU_fo6QyhPeabfDDrIki6_VFD35aea8bTP4zP4IaKr9ZUFVq_CSwbfHyBoCyrwQAvD_BwE

I don’t see the relevance of this vehicle to this conversation.

The Kia PV5 on the other hand is already here and on the roads. Its utility mode gives access to heating and electricity making camping conversion easier. It is a pure EV though which limits more adventurous use away from infrastructure.

Regardless, I think the conversion industry has already chosen the Transporter (yes, Ford, wet belt blah blah blah) as the successor to the T6.1/T6/T5. VW will struggle to sell these non-Cali Multivans at these prices.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

The article is a bit a vague on detail but I think this is the base level California Beach that you can already purchase here in Germany. It is basically a multivan with a pop up roof but no bed downstairs or any of the camping electrics.

We get three levels of Beach to choose from, I think the Beach Tour would be closest to what I would use. I don't want the pull out kitchen bit fixed in the rear.

https://www.volkswagen-nutzfahrzeuge.de/de/konfigurator.html/__app/california.app?---=%7B%22configuration-step-navigation-service%22%3A%22%2F%3FconfigStep%3D%257B%2522context%2522%253A%252272014-74506-Beach%2522%252C%2522selectedStep%2522%253A%2522trim%2522%257D%22%7D

 

[stoobthealien]

The article is a bit a vague on detail but I think this is the base level California Beach that you can already purchase here in Germany. It is basically a multivan with a pop up roof but no bed downstairs or any of the camping electrics.

We get three levels of Beach to choose from, I think the Beach Tour would be closest to what I would use. I don't want the pull out kitchen bit fixed in the rear.

https://www.volkswagen-nutzfahrzeuge.de/de/konfigurator.html/__app/california.app?---=%7B%22configuration-step-navigation-service%22%3A%22%2F%3FconfigStep%3D%257B%2522context%2522%253A%252272014-74506-Beach%2522%252C%2522selectedStep%2522%253A%2522trim%2522%257D%22%7D

It's much more bare bones than that - doesn't come with rear seats or any of the camping electrics in order to keep the cost down for the converter

 

[FivetonesCali]

The latest wave of Chinese hybrids have an extended EV range, and when combined with ICE will give over 600mile range. BYD come with a 240v accessory cable as standard which allows you to run 240v appliances off the cars batteries. Pure EV such as Kia PV5 don’t really work as camper due to range issues as a result of additional weight.
Although EV such as Tesla / BYD advertise a range of 300miles, this is almost impossible to achieve - more like 220/250 especially in winter. If you start also start plugging in electric camping kit, and using the climate control whilst camping, this will soon diminish the battery.

Hybrid is a better base for a camper, as the majority of hybrid batteries can be set to self charge.

Sure, but there’s nothing compelling in terms of mpv/van format that’s on the horizon coming from the Chinese manufacturers.

 

[FivetonesCali]

Compelling? Just look at it!

 

[Camperfamily]

Volkswagen’s new Multivan Camper is a blank canvas for your perfect bespoke hotel on wheels

New campervan conversion variant of the Volkswagen Multivan is offered with diesel or plug-in hybrid power

www.whatcar.com

Interesting move but too expensive. Is this a tacit admission that they can’t get the New California right?

I don’t believe VW offered a converter version Cali in any market before (maybe for Westfalia prior to in-house Cali production for T5 onwards?) so this seems a really significant change.

 

[Adno]

I've thought for a while that the Chinese electric vans are going to be prime for conversion soon

don’t think about electric campervan, it’s pure nonsens.

 

[stoobthealien]

don’t think about electric campervan, it’s pure nonsens.

Probably got more legs to it than caravanning in the future - there's no reason why it wouldn't work well, especially given vans can hold much bigger batteries without impacting the payload.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Not sure it fully electric campervanning is realistic until battery technology significantly improves.

I did see a youtube with a campervan based on the Ford Transit PHEV in it. The interesting thing with that one was that it had vehicle to load, so all electric cooking and gadgets could be run off the vehicle's battery.

 

[FivetonesCali]

don’t think about electric campervan, it’s pure nonsens.

Pure nonsense? Ok.

Of course it’s feasible if the manufacturer allows V2L.

 

[stoobthealien]

Not sure it fully electric campervanning is realistic until battery technology significantly improves.

I did see a youtube with a campervan based on the Ford Transit PHEV in it. The interesting thing with that one was that it had vehicle to load, so all electric cooking and gadgets could be run off the vehicle's battery.

The ford Pro power looks very good - 2.3kw- designed for trades to be able to power their tools but equally handy for vanners

 

[owen_h]

The Panama P10/E (Transit Hybrid base) uses the Pro Power Onboard for cooking and heating. There was also a demo van at the NEC show last year from one of the converters (cant remember which one) doing the same.
VW offer V2L on the e Transporter (rebranded Ford Pro power presumably) and I guess it will also be an option when VW offer the PHEV Transporter.
I dont see it as an option on the PHEV Multivan, that's a different Hybrid engine to the one used in the Transit PHEV so maybe not yet developed V2L on their own hybrid (yet?).

 

[FivetonesCali]

The Panama P10/E (Transit Hybrid base) uses the Pro Power Onboard for cooking and heating. There was also a demo van at the NEC show last year from one of the converters (cant remember which one) doing the same.
VW offer V2L on the e Transporter (rebranded Ford Pro power presumably) and I guess it will also be an option when VW offer the PHEV Transporter.
I dont see it as an option on the PHEV Multivan, that's a different Hybrid engine to the one used in the Transit PHEV so maybe not yet developed V2L on their own hybrid (yet?).

Given the issues the Multivan California has with its batteries it’s probably just as well V2L isn’t available.