I like to travel in camps. My family loves me too, which makes my life so much easier. It started in New Zealand 7 years ago and we have been planning holidays around that concept ever since. The thing is, I hate dies and I love EVs – and again, from day one, I thought about e-camps. In fact, I was convinced that for years to come, it would be just a dream. This does not mean just e-camps My Dream. Far from it. Hundreds of electric camp models… made by hundreds of “electric camps” ጎ. (We also cover it here. CleanTechnica.)
Electric semi-trucks and Tesla Cybertrack cars are especially popular, and you can find countless repetitions of how to convert to camp vehicles. What I intend to do below is to guide you through my personal preferences of interesting, existing, concepts, or translations, and to mention a few of the challenges we now face with electric camps – with some solutions. Let the journey begin.
Iridium E-Mobile Motorhome
I’ll start with the obvious – iridium. Obviously because for me there is one and only, and first, and really 100% electric motor home. It has everything you need to be an independent motorhome – toilet, shower, kitchen, double bed and wheelchair. What makes it special is the fully electric drive and the 249-mile range. A sad note for Americans, Iridium is only sold in Europe. At our best, it works (if true).
Nissan e-NV200 pop-top
One of the first EVs I saw and tested was Nisan – Leaf and EVV 200 in commercial edition. The feeling is still there. I will continue to see how the Nissan Volta concept is evolving, and now I am thrilled to see a version of the camp – perfect for a back-packer style trip. The 124 miles may not seem impressive, but the idea of the camp is to keep things simple and cool. There is no rush at the end, right? Given the popularity of winter camp, Nissan did his homework and developed a basic camp concept using off-road solutions.
Nissan e-NV200 camper, winter edition. A picture of Nisan’s goodness.
Volkswagen ID Buzz
Everyone has been talking and writing for years. Like the Grand Canyon, it has paid off for T1 lovers. Personally, I am not a very good fan, but I am old and when the car finally starts it will be a completely different people considering the speed of growth. 😉
The bright future of camp is still on the list.
ID Buzz will hit the road soon. Image by Volkswagen.
Stella Vita Solar Electric Camper
This beauty is already covered CleanTechnica And described in detail. Of course, I like the idea of this solar camp, designed and built by a group of Dutch students. The reason they focus on energy efficiency is that the car’s design allows for super aerodynamics, the roof holds a lot of solar panels (plus some extras when it is stopped) and provides a living space after the roof is lifted. What a concept!
Stella Vita Solar Camper, via Solar Group Eindhoven.
Modified electric camper vans
This is an open category for all van conversions – Fiat e-Ducato, Mercedes e-Sprinter, Small Peugeot e-Traveller, LEVC VN5, you name it. When I look at our limited selection of electric motor buildings and camps, I see the greatest potential in van conversions. These vehicles are currently on sale or will start selling soon. They are already well-suited for commercial applications, and the van conversion is always a huge and unique caravan family, so nothing needs to be updated (almost completely). Due to growing market demand and the impatience of Arvi lovers, Marcedes is preparing an E-Sprint with a Camp van van. All you need to do is find one and build your own camp (or just hire someone who knows the business).
Fiat e-Ducato is ready to change. Image by Fiat.
That’s it readers. Nothing more than that in me. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t put Rivian, Cybertrack or many other amazing electric camps here. There are so many of them and I’m going down a little bit. It’s time to dump her and move on Stopping The electric revolution in Motorham and what can be done about it.
Obstacles and Solutions for Electric Camps
1. Weight, stupid.
This is probably what every electric motor home designer would say to himself. It is no secret that the bloody battery on which all of Eve’s world depends is very heavy. Of course, I appreciate the weight on the Tesla floor to give the ride cart feel while driving. In motor homes, however, weight is a very emotional issue, not just in electric models. Remember, a standard B class driver’s license allows you to drive vehicles up to 3,500 pounds[3,500 kg]. Even in standard motor buildings, it is often challenging and manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce the weight of the vehicle to leave more space for users. And camp lovers love to take in many things – bikes, coffee machines, barbecue, beach chairs. It usually occurs within the allowed 3,5000 km.
SolutionGet a C Class driver’s license. 😀 This will definitely solve the problem but not everyone can expect it. Anyone who dreams of shaking the market for electric camps should solve this equation with lighter internal constructions. Everything will be important – the size of the water tanks, the gas cylinder for cooking and heating, plastic utensils instead of glass or metal, and most importantly, better battery life. Innovations in batteries can be a game changer for the electric motor market. I truly believe it will come.
2. Region
Along with the weight limitations, the battery capacity is limited and therefore limited. In the examples above, we have seen something from 130 miles to 250 miles. I have been part of the EV region anxiety discussion for a long time to worry about it.
SolutionQuestion: What is the urgency? Camperlife is about slow, easy going, taking your time and enjoying peace and freedom. What is the urgency? Yes, you have to plan your trip carefully, you have to stop charging from time to time to cover long distances, but at the same time you pay as usual on your plug-in nights. Do it normally in camps. They charge a fee for driving from Mount Delsniba in Norway (or any other mountain, in fact). You can also live in the jungle for weeks at a time without having to pay for the giant EV battery bank – as usual you can only spend 3-4 days in isolation in a regular camp. You just need to leave enough space to get to the nearest socket. Region Anxiety? Get out of here!
3. Carbon footprint
We all know that EVs are better than fossil cars, even in Poland, where they often use coal. In addition, they are better in the long run – many miles, faster gain of environmental benefits over diesel and gasoline vehicles – and many motor homes operate at an average of 5,000 miles per year. So, as long as you are satisfied with the output of any tailpipe, your overall life cycle will be balanced.
Solution: Use it more. Offer to friends and family. Drive your regular car while driving (especially for smaller camp vans models). Share as much as we want to share everything from renting motors such as Camptoo to Erbinbi as a house or apartment.
4. Cost
Electric motors have been around for 4-5 years – much more expensive than their diesel counterparts. As passenger EVs gradually become more comparable to ICE vehicles, the price test for motor homes may remain with us for some time. Remembering that motor buildings are expensive in general, going to the electrician can be an insurmountable obstacle for many.
Solution፡ Be rich. I wanted to say a lot here, but for a while I was stockpiling a motor building for myself and the closer I got to the price of rockets again (2020 and 2021 were especially painful). It is not easy unless you are rich, which I hope you will be. In the meantime, open your eyes to a tenant and share your views on electric models. They are coming and you can find them when you try iodide faster than you think.
Overall, I still believe in the dream I had a long time ago. I go for an electric motor trip or camping and nothing spoils the fun – region or cost. When I look at where the car market as a whole is headed, I’m sure the camp makers’ section will not be neglected and companies will all be creative and creative.
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