VW ID Buzz Surf Campervan of the Future!

Upgraded VW ID Buzz Campervan design

This summer Love Campers built what we think is probably the coolest campervan we’ve ever worked on! An upgraded campervan conversion the all-electric VW ID Buzz for our eco-minded client Matthew. The campervan interior is an upgrade on our previous designs with lots of extra state-of-the-art additions.

It’s stunning exterior wrap was put together by the talented resin artist Zee Van Gils, who’s beautiful artwork is inspired by the sea. With our clients’ keen eye for detail, along with our expertise knowledge and innovative touches, this campervan is totally unique and spectacular.

We chatted to our client Matthew about his new campervan – what he loves most about it and what adventures he has planned. He also tells us a bit about the Love Campers personalisation process which allows all our clients to put their ‘personal stamp’ on their van.

To find out more about our ID Buzz Campervan conversions visit our dedicated ID Buzz conversions page.

What makes the Buzz Camper so special?

The ID Buzz vehicle itself, retains the minimalist aesthetic that the iconic VW T2 stood for in the 60’s and 70’s. It reflects the simple lifestyle values that people felt when they first toyed with the ideas of what ‘van living’ stood for… getting closer to nature, a life on the road and escaping the rat race of our ‘normal’ lives.

This campervan brings all of this optimistic nostalgia into the modern day as it creates the opportunity for adventures that fit in with an all-electric and greener future.

By 2030 all new conventional petrol and diesel cars will be banned from sale in the UK. By 2035, the only new vehicles available will be purely electric. At Love Campers we have found that because our designs are handbuilt and totally unique we have the ability to adapt quickly when new electric models come to the market. It is this agile approach that allows us to be extremely innovative and fast-moving to achieve our sustainability goals in regards to electric campervans. 

This highly functional campervan conversion by Love Campers in collaboration with Matthew’s Pipedream project, takes adventuring to the next level as a totally off-grid experience powered by powerful batteries and solar energy.

THIS VW ID Buzz Campervan includes:

Chatting to our client Matthew about his new ID Buzz campervan…

What inspired you to get a VW ID Buzz Camper?

So many things! Firstly the fact that it is electric, and its iconic design, harking back to the Type 2 as the original van of choice for surfers, especially on the coast of California since the 1950’s. As the Type 2 is rare these days with aging technology, the ID Buzz makes it possible to recreate the vibe and lifestyle of that time, with technology and sustainability features fit for the 21st century.

Why did you choose to get an electric campervan?

It’s important to me that my values are reflected by my choices and actions, and sustainability has always been important to me. I’ve been in the renewable energy and sustainable property industries for nearly 20 years now and this summer I was lucky to have some time off which I wanted to use on a new project – converting a van in to a self sustaining surf camper. When it came to making the decision I couldn’t bring myself to buy a diesel vehicle. Just couldn’t do it! So I thought to myself, I wonder if VW have finally released the ID Buzz yet? Luckily for me, I found one in Ireland that had just been  advertised, the night before I called to enquire – I picked it up just 4 days later.

Modern Fully Electric Vehicles have been available for over 13 years, and now that the range has increased (for this model up to 260 miles) it makes driving a dream with zero guilt with regard to emissions. If anyone isn’t used to driving an EV, they have automatic transmission so much less taxing on the body over long trips and the torque is instant which makes it really fun and responsive to drive.

What are your favourite parts of your electric campervan?

It’s really hard to choose, there are so many! Possibly the flexible solar panel and the bamboo detailing of the interior by James, Love Camper’s resident woodwork magician. James made some really nice coving detail to the cabin area which frames the whole vehicle and sets it off when opened up from the tailgate. I also asked for an outdoor space to enjoy drinks and snacks and James made a pop out & folding table that tucks away neatly when not in use.

For solar power, I chose a world leading flexible technology I first came across in 2017 at Swansea University. The tech has really moved forward since and I had the panel bespoke made to maximise coverage of the roof to produce as much energy as possible. The solar panel uses no glass or silicone but Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) instead – thin-film solar cells with hidden junction boxes for a seemless aesthetic which essentially makes it invisible (unless you view the roof from above of course!) I’m obviously biased but as any wires are all hidden, I think it still looks great from this angle 😉

I can’t forget the artwork used to wrap the lower half of the vehicle of course. I commissioned a local artist Zee Van Gils based in Newquay Cornwall to capture my vision. I don’t think I have any words for this really. ‘Breathtaking’ may be one! I love it every time I look at it and see something new every time. It’s called ‘Pipedream’, which is the name of my new venture, taking inspiration from trail and surf. 

Why did you choose Love Campers?

My vision for the conversion was to produce the ‘Surf Van of the future’ and for it to be executed as a piece of artwork. As the ID Buzz is smaller than the traditional Transporter model, it was important that we were creative with maximising the usage of space wherever possible whilst preserving the aesthetic. Every aspect needed to be perfectly functional as a minimum, but to set it apart it needed to look beautiful. After much research, I selected Love Campers as it was obvious that the team had an eye for detail and the skill to create the functions and style I wanted to achieve for the interior. 

What are you most looking forward to about owning a VW ID Buzz camper?

The freedom and inspiration that it provides me – escaping to the beach and into nature, to think freely, come up with new ideas for my life and business. It works seamlessly with my focus on a healthy lifestyle and enjoyment of the natural world. With this in mind it was important the van could generate and store it’s own energy for use in cooking, hot water and even charging the vehicle itself. This way I can stay off grid even longer if I choose too. Ultimate freedom with minimal environmental impact :).

Can you tell us a bit about your ‘van life’ plans?

I plan to travel to many different spots in Europe to improve my surf skills! I snowboard, but have never surfed long enough to reach a standard I’m happy with and I’m really looking forward to trying new places. Being in tech, I’m also really interested to test the Electric Vehicle charging networks and how they’re performing. It’ll be a good test of the van and the preparation required before setting off on a long journey. I plan to take notes and compare these over time to track what works well and what doesn’t.

How did you find the Love Campers personalisation process?

I found the personalisation process really useful. My brief was to create a surf / beach feel mixed with home and tech comforts. I chose from the wide variety of colour palettes and textures to create this but I also wanted to use some inspiration from my design & home renovation experience and use materials and tech that are traditionally used in modern housing – A herringbone floor, Apple HomePod mini, 15W wireless QI phone charger, 3000W instant hot water tap, 2500W induction hob and square stainless steel pot sink. I wanted to prove that with the tech available today it opens up a whole new way of living off grid without many compromises to life at home – at least not on the really useful stuff like the availability and use of energy.

What adventures do you have planned in your ID Buzz Campervan?

I’ve spent much of the summer in Cornwall and the south coast getting some time in the ocean, surfing and testing the Van’s capabilities. To be honest, I’m a bit of a nerd with the technology and I love optimising systems, so I’ll spend quite a bit of time stretching its capabilities to breaking point to see how much it can do. With the current solar and battery set up, I could park the Van on the beach while surfing and its integrated solar panel can add miles of range while I’m out in the water. I’ve selected a specific type of leisure battery that I can use to not only charge itself from solar, but the vehicle battery too. 

As far as adventures I’d love to visit Portugal and Spain first, and possibly take it further afield in future, possibly the US and Canada. Now the van is complete, there are endless opportunities and it’s really comfortable to sleep in so it will be hard to tempt me away from it. That’s the great thing about campers, especially one as powerful as this. The freedom it provides to explore gives me a completely different perspective on the world and is useful to me in all parts of my life. I’ve got a feeling my nieces and nephews might like it too, so it’s one for the whole family! 🙂