The road trip-meets-camping experience afforded by camper van travel is having a moment.
Interest in these compact recreational vehicles, typically outfitted with home-away-from-home comforts like sleeping spaces and kitchenettes, has surged in recent years, bolstered by social media streams flooded with images and videos depicting idealized, nature-immersive #vanlife travel scenes.
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Plus, at the pandemic’s height, such self-contained vans – a sort of hotel room on wheels – were perceived to offer a means of travel that cut away at health risks.
Yet, for the nature-loving travelers who tend to gravitate toward these outdoor adventure-ready vans, there’s a crisis of conscience at play, given that the oversize, gas-guzzling vehicles are known for spewing out carbon emissions, as a worsening global climate crisis unfolds.
Just as movement toward electric vehicles (EVs) has swept the automobile industry—with fossil fuel-powered internal combustion engines being increasingly replaced by battery-powered electric motors—the dawn of a new electrified camper van age is emerging, as well.
“We are indeed starting to see some momentum from the RV [recreational vehicle] industry towards designing and building electric camper vans,” says Kraig Becker, digital editor at RV.com/RV Magazine, citing such projects in the works from big brands like Winnebago and Volkswagen. Those will soon join a niche contingent of DIY custom electric camper van conversions that are already on the market.
Becker says that consumer demand for these electrified camper vans is being driven largely by younger generations who are “looking for a more eco-friendly way to go camping.”
Peter Grunert, coordinating author of Lonely Planet’s new book “Electric Vehicle Road Trips—Europe,” concurs that the vehicles appeal to travelers with eco-sensibility.
“Given that EV camper vans produce zero emissions at the tailpipe, they also allow a sense of environmental consciousness that will be especially appreciated when passing through fragile natural habitats or urban areas,” he says.
Becker says that while barriers like underdeveloped charging infrastructure and limited EV driving range remain, customers are further drawn in by the fact that an electric camper van “is quieter than a gas-powered model, and makes it easier to camp off-grid.”
Other customers, like Montreal-based Nicolas Moreau, 35, who recently traveled through Quebec with his family in an electric camper van rental from Bromont Campervan, says he was most motivated by the savings at the pump.
“We were aiming to not have to spend too much on gas,” he tells CNN Travel.
Indeed, high and fluctuating global gas prices, particularly in European destinations, can tack on considerable expense to any road trip vacation. Recharging a camper van with electricity, rather than fueling up a gas tank, can translate to significant savings on travel costs.
Currently, the Quebec region is one of just a handful of North American destinations where electric camper vans are available. Europe has more, though still limited, inventory.
Camper van rental agencies like Europe-based Goboony and Outdoorsy in the U.S. each offer some electric camper vans for rent. Or, these six pioneering electric camper van rental companies around the globe each promise the benefits of a camper van vacation—all-in-one appeal, nature immersion, and the freedom of unbound travel—minus the hefty carbon footprint.
The Company: Starting this summer, camper van rental company Bromont Campervan, based in Bromont, Canada (an hour outside of Montreal), is offering two electric van rentals. The company aims to convert its entire 14-van fleet to electric by 2025.
The Vans: Bromont rents two converted Ford E-Transit vans on a weekly basis, configured for either two or four passengers. Vans feature appointments like a retractable bed, kitchenette, toilet/shower, fridge, and four-season insulation.
The Journey: Try a weeklong, 450-mile road trip from Quebec City, catching nearby Quebec-region attractions like towering Montmorency Falls, the glacial valley at Jacques-Cartier National Park, or bucolic Ile d’Orleans.