Van converters
The van conversion sector is booming, and there are plenty of UK converters to choose from, with a fresh focus on electric vehicles
Official certification from Volkswagen and the search for the perfect electric campervan have proved to be two key issues among Britain’s van converters during the months of lockdown.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles launched its converter recognition scheme to promote well-established van converters. In order to qualify, converters need to have been trading for at least three years, meet national or European type approval, have vehicles NCC-approved, be registered on the Body Builder Database, and be able to provide at least £5m in liability insurance cover. They also need to offer a warranty on the conversion that matches that of the base vehicle.
So far, Derby company Hillside Leisure, which produces the popular Birchover model (1) among others, Shrewsbury-based Rolling Homes (2) and Jerba Campervans, in North Berwick, have made it onto the scheme. So has CoTrim, a converter in Salisbury specialising mainly in day vans, but also producing the Flexivan range of campers. At least one other converter is known to be very close to gaining recognition.
New electric campervan
Meanwhile, LEVC, the company behind London’s electric taxi, has teamed up with Wellhouse Leisure (newly relocated to Barnsley) to produce an electric campervan (3). Based on its VN5 electric van, the four-berth vehicle includes a 1.5-litre petrol engine, but this is only used to recharge the battery and so increase the range from 60 miles, which it can achieve under electric power alone, to 304 miles.
The two companies are planning to make first deliveries of the vehicle, which comes with a pop-up roof and foldaway table, by the end of this year. It should have an OTR price, excluding VAT, of £62,250. The vehicle will be a competitor to the electric camper that Sussex Campervans has now been producing for a year. ■ cotrim.co.uk ■ hillsideleisure.co.uk ■ jerbacampervans.co.uk ■ levc.com ■ rolling-homes.co.uk ■ sussexcampervans.com ■ wellhouseleisure.com