CHARGING AHEAD
If you drive an electric car then you may well be disappointed by the – so far – very, very limited choice of electric campervans and motorhomes. For larger/heavier models, the battery technology (and especially range) simply doesn’t meet the requirements of the leisure market yet, but there are a few options for buyers seeking a small camper as an electric daily driver that can also cater for weekends and holidays with a bit of planning.
Initially, most electric campervans were based on the Nissan e-NV200, which claimed a range of 187 miles in its later derivative and was converted by several UK campervan companies. However, the little Nissan van has now been discontinued.
A frontrunner in the EV camper market is Wheelhome, which offers its Vikenze III-e based on the Vauxhall Combo Life. It’s best suited to solo campers, although two berths are possible in this car-sized vehicle that can be recharged via your campsite hook-up (as the habitation electrics are self-sufficient).
A little larger are camper conversions of the Citroën ë-Dispatch and Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, which can be specified with a 75kWh battery for a 217-mile range. CampervanCo and Love Campers are amongst those offering conversions.
However, the EV that promises to get buyers excited is the ID Buzz from Volkswagen. Smaller than a Transporter, its retro looks are sensational and it boasts a range of over 250 miles. However, its small internal dimensions and limited payload remain a challenge and we’re yet to see the promised California campervan version. Maybe the longwheelbase ID Buzz will receive more attention from the leisure market, although much still depends on cost.