Winter camping with the electric Outbase ID.Buzz campervan.

Wintercamping with an electric campervan? It often raises questions. Cold temperatures, range, charging…. But it is absolutely possible! With the right mindset and expectations you can fully enjoy everything nature has to offer in winter.

Camping in winter is obviously different from camping in summer, especially with an electric camper. Cold weather affects the range, charging speed and overall energy consumption, and it requires different choices along the way. At the same time, the Outbase ID.Buzz truly proves itself in these conditions. The interior is designed with diverse weather circumstances in mind, making it a true allround campervan!

We love sharing our tips on winter camping with an electric campervan, enriched with real-life experiences from our customers.

The strength of electric winter camping

Our spacious and practical interior

At Outbase, every ID.Buzz is completely stripped down to optimize space and create the best foundation for insulation. The living area is maximally insulated using natural cork and sheep’s wool. In addition, the roof is completely double-walled and insulated, which is unique to this segment.

You can quickly heat the living space using the ID.Buzz-app. Thanks to this smart solution, the heater can run for up to 12 hours, with battery protection that ensures it operates only until the set minimum charge level.

Combine this with the flexible lighting plan featuring all-round dimmable lighting and the spacious layout of the living area, and you’ll feel it immediately: even in winter, enjoying your night in the Outbase ID.Buzz is perfectly comfortable.

Step into a pre-heated camper

Electric driving means stepping into warmth every time. Set your departure time or switch on the heater in advance via the app. No cold hands, no scraping ice off the windshield. And when the campervan is plugged, pre-heating doesn’t affect your driving range.

“After a winter day outdoors, the Outbase ID.Buzz is ready for you in the evening, with a warm, light-filled and surprisingly spacious living area.

What is different in winter?

Range

Yes, the range is lower in winter. In freezing temperatures, it can decrease by up to 30%. Our customers who have used the Outbase ID.Buzz for winter sports trips notice this as well:

“The range decreased significantly in the cold. Then drop below 250km between charging stops.”

In milder Dutch winters and with good preparation, the reduction in range is less significant. If possible, it is smart to switch on the heater while the ID.Buzz is still plugged in, so it doesn’t affect your driving range. It is also better to set the cabin heater to a lower temperature and use the seat (and steering wheel) heating instead, as this consumes much less energy. Combined with an adjusted driving speed, a range of around 350 km in winter is still achievable, based on 100% battery usage.

Battery preconditioning is recommended when fast charging during your journey. When you use Volkswagen navigation, the ID.Buzz will automatically precondition the battery for planned charging stops. You can also activate this manually before arriving at a charger. This way, you can easily achieve the optimal charging speed.

“Today we drove through the fresh, wet snow, and it went more than fine!”

Tires and grip

The Outbase ID.Buzz is delivered as standard with all-season tires. This allows you to drive safely all year round and ensures good grip in winter conditions. These tires are also approved for winter use in Germany.

Do keep in mind to check your tyre pressure when temperatures drop significantly. Cold weather causes loss of pressure, which means your tyre pressure may decrease slightly.

Power on the campsite

In winter, it can be convenient to charge the ID. Buzz at the campsite using the (adjustable) 230V charger. This allows you to use the heater without affecting your driving range, and you can even add some extra charge at the same time.

Always make sure to do this in consultation with the campsite manager and offer to pay fairly for the additional electricity you use. That way, we keep it enjoyable and fair for the campsites as well.

“Yes, the range is lower in winter and that can sometimes be a bit challenging. But the comfort of a camper that’s easy to heat up definitely has its advantages. And it’s also quite nice that I no longer have to hold a freezing cold fuel pump for minutes to refuel :) With those benefits, I’m happy to accept the slight delay caused by the reduced range during a short period.”

A few practical tips:

Driving style really makes a difference. In the winter you notice that even more.

Use B mode in the city, on country roads and in the mountains for extra regeneration.
Switch to D mode on the motorway.
Set the can to ECO mode: this reduces climate control output and encourages a more relaxed driving style.
Turn the heater off or lower it, and switch on the seat (and steering wheel) heating instead.

They are small choices, but together they make a big difference.

The Outbase ID.Buzz is ready for your winter adventure

Winter camping requires a bit more planning, with reduced range and sometimes a slight adjustment in driving style. At the same time, it gives you the opportunity to do what makes you happy all year round: getting into nature.

“The biggest advantage is that we’re much less dependent on the weather”