VW’s most impressive camper from California is launching at a tempting price

Sure, maybe it’s blasphemy to say that every new Volkswagen California camper is better than the icons that came before it. But Volkswagen has worked quite hard to optimize the newly launched California eHybrid 4Motion for smart, affordable, worry-free road trips. The new campervan not only features standard four-wheel drive to handle the slippery conditions that are inevitable in van life, but also boasts a virtually silent, emission-free electric range of more than 80 km (50 miles) per charge. And since it only adds a 6.5% premium over the 2.0-liter turbo diesel Californiawhy wouldn’t a buyer choose the 4Motion PHEV?

When it debuted three years ago, the completely new Multivan came with the option of an eHybrid plug-in system that combined a 148bhp 1.4-litre TSI engine with a single electric motor for a combined output of 215bhp. A 13 kWh battery provides an all-electric range of 50 km (30 miles).

The eHybrid option offers a nice balance between all-electric driving and long-distance capability, perfect for a city commuter who plans to take longer trips occasionally or a camping enthusiast who can rely on the ICE and the gas tank for long trips between points of destination. interest, by switching to zero-emission energy when driving through wilderness areas and campsites.

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Between that Multivan introduction in 2021 and the launch of the latest Multivan-based California this week, Volkswagen has improved the eHybrid system in every way possible, making the second generation an even bigger boon for regular MPV drivers and nomads in the van life. The new system, now available on both the Multivan and California, pairs a 1.5-liter TSI evo2 turbo four making 174 horsepower with two electric motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear axle.

The new layout increases total available system power to 241 hp and offers integrated 4Motion all-wheel drive for improved traction in poor weather and light off-road terrain. And if there’s one type of vehicle that’s sure to encounter snowy highways, rough gravel, and dirt, it’s a camper.

Volkswagen has also increased the system’s battery capacity with a new 19.7 kWh high-voltage lithium pack, a move that almost doubles the estimated all-electric range to 91 km (56.5 miles). That puts the California eHybrid past its main PHEV competitor: the 56 km long Ford Nugget PHEV and the 11.8 kWh battery pack.

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The new hybrid system supports fully electric driving at speeds of up to 130 km/h. Charging capabilities also improve with AC speeds up to 11 kW, compared to 3.6 kW on the first-generation Multivan eHybrid system. The liquid-cooled battery can also charge at speeds of up to 50 kW at a DC fast charger.

The 4Motion all-wheel drive system is of course another nice advantage of the second generation eHybrid system, which only had front-wheel drive in the first generation. Volkswagen uses its electronic stability control system to identify wheel slip and transmit up to 100 percent of the power from the drive system to the front or rear axle. The driver activates the permanent AWD by switching the van from ‘drive’ to ‘sport’ mode.

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The electrified torsion beam rear axle that drives the rear wheels can continue to turn even if the lithium-ion traction battery is completely discharged. In this case, the energy comes from the TSI engine and the front engine working in tandem for the electrical generation.

One final advantage that plug-in hybrid technology offers Volkswagen’s iconic camper: battery-powered climate control at the campsite. Volkswagen says both the air conditioning and heating can be turned on while the California is parked. When the charging cable is connected, the climate control starts as soon as the battery is fully charged and works for up to 30 minutes to adjust the interior temperature. When the California is not connected, such as during off-grid camping, the climate control runs on battery power alone for a maximum of 10 minutes.

So it’s not quite the all-night air conditioning or heating that you might enjoy in a generously equipped camper with a dedicated camping heater and an air conditioner connected to shore power or a generator, but it is certainly a quieter adaptation of the comfort than you. d get into an ICE camper without a stand-alone camping heater or air conditioning unit.

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The new California eHybrid 4Motion is now available for pre-order in Europe. Base prices announced this week range from €77,772 (approximately US$83,375) for the Beach Tour light four-berth camper to €82,907 ($88,875) for the complete California camper with driver’s side kitchen. Those prices are €9,948 and €5,075 more respectively Counterparts with TDI enginenot such a high premium for all the benefits the eHybrid 4Motion brings, especially when you look at the full-fledged camper variant – the extra $5K seems like a no-brainer.

Source: VW commercial vehicles