XBus Camper Is EVerything The ID. Buzz Should Have Been — Quirky, Lovable, & Cheap! (Video)

[RV_]

Wow! This came out of the blue! It is a German brand ramping up for production to start soon. https://electricbrands.de/en/myxbus/

VW dragged their feet and another nimble startup is moving faster than the big guys. Love this design and the range. 4 motor AWD? Remember that electrics don't lose HP at altitude like fuel air mixture internal combustion engines do.

Excerpt:

"The XBus camper van has everything you need in a very compact and efficient package. With an optional battery, it has a range of 600 km.

Meet The XBus Camper

Now the company has unveiled its latest XBus, a camper van that is everything the Volkswagen ID. Buzz could have been but isn’t. It’s quirky, cute in an insouciant sort of way, and underpowered, just like the original VW bus. Here’s a video that shows more about the camper as well as some of the other vehicles in the Electric Brands stable of vehicles.

 

The Camper features a sleeping area for two people, a space-saving kitchen with a sink, refrigerator, and hotplate, a refrigerator, TV, fresh water tank, sound system, a solar roof, and regenerative braking. With the optional 30 kWh battery pack, it has a range of 600 km/373miles (more than a Tesla  Model Y LR). The price for all this goodness is £29,727.73/$36,174.00 US.

Americans, of course, will look down their noses at such an unworthy vehicle. If it doesn’t weigh 8,000 lb and have 600 horsepower, it is beneath them to even consider. Pity, actually. The XBus Camper would float my boat if I were looking for an electric camper van. Most of my camping was done in a 2-person pup tent with a Coleman stove and an ice chest.

The company is very much in its creative phase right now, so maybe if enough inquiries came in from the west side of the Atlantic, they might be induced to take a look at the US market. Some bold entrepreneur could start a business importing these things. It worked pretty well for Max Hoffman who began importing BMWs in the 50s and Ernie Boch who took a chance on Subaru and wound up grabbing the brass ring. Maybe it could happen to you!

One thing is for sure. Emotion is what sells cars and the XBus has pizzazz, a certain je ne sais quoi that is positively endearing. I can see this becoming a huge hit wherever it is sold.

 

Source: https://cleantechnica.com/2022/07/29/xbus-camper-is-everything-the-id-buzz-should-have-been-quirky-lovable-cheap-video/

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by RV_

[Dutch_12078]

Cool! The headlight treatment is very "Rivian like" and does give the bus something of the old VW bus look. As for importing them into the US, at least they won't have the emissions issues that are often the biggest problem in importing ICE vehicles not built for our market.

[Chalkie]

2 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Cool! The headlight treatment is very "Rivian like" and does give the bus something of the old VW bus look. As for importing them into the US, at least they won't have the emissions issues that are often the biggest problem in importing ICE vehicles not built for our market.

I actually think that the emissions issue has almost equalized between the US and Europe as the Europeans have become far more aware over the past decade. The safety and bumper issue is a greater hurdle to get over IMO as the Europeans still  enjoy vehicles with style that doesn't include a bazillion crash dummy test results.

[Dutch_12078]

5 hours ago, Chalkie said:

I actually think that the emissions issue has almost equalized between the US and Europe as the Europeans have become far more aware over the past decade. The safety and bumper issue is a greater hurdle to get over IMO as the Europeans still  enjoy vehicles with style that doesn't include a bazillion crash dummy test results.

Yes, importing vehicles less than 25 years old and not built and certified to US safety standards must meet or be modified to meet all applicable FMVSS requirements, but they also most meet the EPA's Clean Air Act requirements. Modifying vehicles to meet those requirements isn't always easily done.

[RV_]

9 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Cool! The headlight treatment is very "Rivian like" and does give the bus something of the old VW bus look. As for importing them into the US, at least they won't have the emissions issues that are often the biggest problem in importing ICE vehicles not built for our market.

Yep Dutch, but all of those things have been worked out before, a little engineering to make one crash worthy isn't a big deal. The profit as seen before with imports here may be enough especially with it being a German company with German engineering.  I would definitely buy one with that range and for that price and drop the Rivian truck for it. But kike many here I don't have ten years to wait for production to ramp and then be in line for years as I am with the Rivian truck. But the right entrepreneur may be out there ready to go. As mentioned in the article:

"The company is very much in its creative phase right now, so maybe if enough inquiries came in from the west side of the Atlantic, they might be induced to take a look at the US market. Some bold entrepreneur could start a business importing these things. It worked pretty well for Max Hoffman who began importing BMWs in the 50s and Ernie Boch who took a chance on Subaru and wound up grabbing the brass ring. Maybe it could happen to you!"

I built/restored one VW microbus and 8 VW/Westphalia (Westys) pop-up campers. My last one was a US Spec Eurovan semi camper "Wasserboxer." I bought it just a couple of years old in 1993 or 1994 while stationed in Europe from another USAF guy who brought it over from the US but wanted his one free car transport back to be his new Porsche. No one else there had cash. So I stole it and brought it back.

I have a real affinity for the idea and compact campers without built in showers and toilets, although full timing I must have fully self contained. However, for campgrounds in State and national parks and most other places they have showers and toilets. Boondocking only needs a water container and a porta potty or a shovel.

This camper fills a big niche market. It eliminates the towing "problem" as it is designed to handle camping gear and a couple of adults. It has more range than my Model Y has so it would be great for around town, shopping, and weekend camping and trips. Just like our "Westys!"

Not in production - yet, but it got my attention.

[RV_]

7 hours ago, Chalkie said:

I actually think that the emissions issue has almost equalized between the US and Europe as the Europeans have become far more aware over the past decade. The safety and bumper issue is a greater hurdle to get over IMO as the Europeans still  enjoy vehicles with style that doesn't include a bazillion crash dummy test results.

And every German brand markets their vehicles for the US market so getting the engineering done if any is needed is no issue for any brand marketed or planned to be marketed here. Meeting the standards and tests are all already a familiar process for German car makers and importers.

 

[Dutch_12078]

2 hours ago, RV_ said:

Yep Dutch, but all of those things have been worked out before, a little engineering to make one crash worthy isn't a big deal. The profit as seen before with imports here may be enough especially with it being a German company with German engineering.  I would definitely buy one with that range and for that price and drop the Rivian truck for it. But kike many here I don't have ten years to wait for production to ramp and then be in line for years as I am with the Rivian truck. But the right entrepreneur may be out there ready to go. As mentioned in the article:

"The company is very much in its creative phase right now, so maybe if enough inquiries came in from the west side of the Atlantic, they might be induced to take a look at the US market. Some bold entrepreneur could start a business importing these things. It worked pretty well for Max Hoffman who began importing BMWs in the 50s and Ernie Boch who took a chance on Subaru and wound up grabbing the brass ring. Maybe it could happen to you!"

I built/restored one VW microbus and 8 VW/Westphalia (Westys) pop-up campers. My last one was a US Spec Eurovan semi camper "Wasserboxer." I bought it just a couple of years old in 1993 or 1994 while stationed in Europe from another USAF guy who brought it over from the US but wanted his one free car transport back to be his new Porsche. No one else there had cash. So I stole it and brought it back.

I have a real affinity for the idea and compact campers without built in showers and toilets, although full timing I must have fully self contained. However, for campgrounds in State and national parks and most other places they have showers and toilets. Boondocking only needs a water container and a porta potty or a shovel.

This camper fills a big niche market. It eliminates the towing "problem" as it is designed to handle camping gear and a couple of adults. It has more range than my Model Y has so it would be great for around town, shopping, and weekend camping and trips. Just like our "Westys!"

Not in production - yet, but it got my attention.

I'm quite sure if they decide to market it on this side of the pond, they'll know what, if any, changes need to be made to meet our standards. I doubt that I'd buy one between the size and my advanced age, but I do think it's a great looking unit and I wish them well with it. And yes, we really did enjoy our Westy back in the day. I was disappointed that the Buzz doesn't carry on the VW Bus design "cuteness".

[RV_]

It is tiny, and it is moot right now because it is vaporware until it goes into production. My wife loved our original MG Midget MkII which you put on, you didn't get into it. She swapped her 66 mustang for it when we first got married. She drove that pregnant. Then later she also claimed my original British Leyland Austin Mini when we were in Germany in the 90s. And when we got back I got her a 2012 Kia Rio 5 door SUV and she loved it too. So with me in the R1T truck and her in the tiny XBus camper she would be tickled and we would have a great little weekender. If it ends up with little range or twice the price no we would not be interested. We'll see.  It is too cute!

[sandsys]

Ah, the days of owning a Westy; we had a lot of fun in ours. I'm too old for that type of traveling now, though; when I need access to a toilet I sometimes need it NOW!.

Linda

[Dutch_12078]

Agreed, Linda, sometimes us oldsters need them NOW!  

[RV_]

We weren't really planning on another big RV. We are looking more like this tiny teardrop which has a toilet and a shower: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1101205274147710/?referralSurface=messenger_lightspeed_banner&referralCode=messenger_banner The outdoor kitchen is no issue because we can always go out to dinner as we are not planning on getting away from tourist and scenic areas. But until we get our Rivian or Cybertruck we have to wait. The good news is they made a lot of that model. It's a tad too heavy for the Gas Forester, especially in the mountains.

Those guys are taking advantage and renting it out like a B&B. I also saw the bar owner character Jack in the Netflix series "Virgin River" decide to open a B&B with classic RVs and he built decks and patios around them that were amazing. I don't do rentals but it was great looking idea.

[sandsys]

4 hours ago, RV_ said:

I also saw the bar owner character Jack in the Netflix series "Virgin River" decide to open a B&B with classic RVs and he built decks and patios around them that were amazing. I don't do rentals but it was great looking idea.

I like Jack's decks as well. But, not the idea that his investor may be using drug money.

Linda

[RV_]

Linda, it does open up some interesting plot lines however. 😉