The new Volkswagen California officially: The basics of a passenger car and a plug-in hybrid with four wheels

While the regular transporter of the new generation will be rebranded Ford Transit, the residential model California is kept by Volkswagen under its own roof. He built it on the basis of the new multivan, which means several novelties for the middle camper van.

But let’s start with the most important thing – the interior. The new California will be available, as before, in several designs. All are based on the extended version of the multivan; so far california stood on the short version of the T6.1 van. This means more interior space; the car is specifically 5,173 mm long, i.e. 269 mm longer than before. They also all have a folding roof with a double bed and sliding side doors on both sides as standard equipment.

The basic version is called Beach, the offer continues with Beach Tour and Beach Camper versions. It is the first to get a kitchen, but “only” in the form of a small built-in in the back of the car, similar to the one offered by the smaller Caddy California. The two highest versions, Coast and Ocean, will offer a larger fixed kitchen on the driver’s side of the car. Despite this, they also have two side sliding doors.

Volkswagen California Ocean

Basic version Beach is essentially a personal multivan with six seats – two in three rows – and a manually lifting roof that hides a bed measuring 2,054 x 1,137 mm. Version Beach Tour adds rotating front seats, folding chairs stored in a pocket on the fifth door, lighting of the space above the bed in the folding roof, an additional 12V battery with a capacity of 40 Ah or a display for controlling some of the car’s camping functions in the C-pillar on the right side of the car. It has five seats and allows the backrests to be folded down to spread out the second mattress with dimensions of 1,980 x 1,330 mm, which is folded on the shelf in the boot while driving.

Also five digit California Beach Camper it is approved for operation as a motorhome, because in addition to the equipment of the Beach Tour version, it has the previously mentioned built-in with a gas stove, storage spaces and a 230V socket in the back. To use it, you need to open the hinged back, which also serves as a rain cover.

Volkswagen California Beach

Second highest design Coast it offers four seats – there are two individual armchairs in the second row – and an additional battery for extra living space. It is solid, takes up most of the left side of the car and is completely newly developed compared to the previous California. In addition to larger storage spaces, it also has a sink with a 28-liter tank for clean water, a removable folding table, one gas burner and a refrigerator that can be pulled out from the front of the galley, similar to what the Grand California offers. However, the lower bed is smaller – it is only 1,980 × 1,060 mm.

Ultimate version Ocean it will offer a different seat cover and, compared to the coast, automatic air conditioning, heated front seats, independent heating, a box in the ceiling at the back of the car and an additional 230V socket. All trims except the basic Beach will also offer a window darkening system and hanging bags that fit into the windows between the C and D pillars. The aforementioned display in the C-pillar controls all the camping functions of the back of the car and also shows the status of the batteries or the filling of the tanks in clear or gray water.

For the first time, a quad bike and a plug-in hybrid at the same time

One of the other novelties is the new California, which is the first of all cars on the MQB platform. It is a combination of a plug-in hybrid powertrain with all-wheel drive. The system with the trade name eHybrid has a combined output of 180 kW (245 hp), but the capacity of the traction battery or the method of driving the rear axle are not yet known.

Volkswagen is also keeping it to itself for the time being, whether the car draws energy for recharging the 12V accumulators of the residential building from the traction battery, if there is a threat of their discharge. However, it states that it is possible to tow a trailer weighing up to 2t with this version. In addition to the eHybrid version, there is also a 110kW turbodiesel and a 150kW petrol engine; in both cases it will certainly be the same two-liter four-cylinder that is on offer for the multivan, which means front-wheel drive.

Volkswagen California Ocean

The new California will be available for pre-order from June this year, and the first pieces will reach customers sometime in the second half of this year. In addition, Volkswagen is showing it to us live in Berlin and we won’t let you wait long for the first personal impressions.