Electric Campervans – A Guide for Converting an Electric Van

At Love Campers, reducing our carbon footprint and building more environmentally-friendly electric campervans is one of our top priorities. Increasing the number of electric van conversions we carry out is one way we’re hoping to make a difference and take care of our planet.

This page will help you make the decision on whether an eco-camper is the right choice for you.

id buzz
VW ID Buzz

Can you convert an electric van into a campervan?

Absolutely, 100% yes! We have a whole page dedicated to our electric van designs.

In the last year we’ve been working on more electric campervans than ever before. See some examples of our work below to see what can be achieved with a Love Campers conversion. Not only can we convert an electric vehicle, we can even kit it out with state-of-the-art gadgets such as an induction hob or extra powerful solar panels.

On top of this we will always choose sustainable interior options including FSC-certified wooden furniture and natural fibre insulation made from sheep’s wool or hemp.

The gallery below which shows a conversion of a Nissan E-NV200 into a stunning micro camper. We fitted this camper out with our ever popular Mandalay design.

We have also converted plenty of the Citroën E-Dispatch vans with a pop top roof, rock and roll bed, fully functioning kitchen and much more. One of our cutting edge electric campervans was of the first of its kind to be built in the UK and was featured on Channel 5’s Million Pound Motorhomes, (Season 3 Episode 7).

Check out the van tour in the video below.

Is buying an electric campervan a good idea right now?

With more electric vans on the market than ever before, we think that an electric campervan is an excellent option right now. The UK government is currently putting large funds into expanding the public charge-point network which will make the logistics of long drives far simpler.

Another reason to jump on the EV movement is that in the long run it will help you make significant savings, at a time when the cost of petrol and diesel is skyrocketing.

Once you have paid the initial price for the van, electric vehicles are far more cost effective than those run on fossil fuels, costing an average of 2p per mile to run.  You will also be exempt from some other costs such as congestion charging and road tax. 

It’s also important to consider that an electric motor has fewer components compared to a traditional vehicle, which leads to less trips for expensive servicing. That means and your electric campervan may last longer compared to a petrol powered one.

And don’t forget the simple pleasures! Electric vans are both smoother and quieter to drive compared with petrol vehicles, so you’ll be getting your money’s worth in terms of the driving experience.

electric campervan Lewis Nyman & Love Campers
Citroen e-Dispatch electric van conversion by Love Campers

Converting an electric van – is it simple?

How quick and easy is it to build electric campervans?

Luckily, the range of plug-in vehicles available on the market is picking up pace at an electrifying rate, which means we’ve had lots of practice kitting out electric vans, such as the Nissan e-NV200.

In terms of the actual build it’s no different to our usual camper conversions and we have a large range of tried and tested designs for you to choose from (more on that below!). An electric van shouldn’t take any longer than our other conversions, so your campervan could be with you in less than a month if you choose to have it converted by Love Campers.

Electric campervan
Nissan e-NV200 (Zero Emission) conversion by Love Campers

Which van model should you choose for your electric campervan?

Luckily, more manufacturers are seeing the benefits of producing electric cars and vans, particularly in response to many city centers beginning to impose stricter ‘clean air zones’.

Nissan and Renault dominate the small van sector, but there are also models from Citroën and Peugeot that have recently entered the market. This growing choice means that an electric vehicle is a more viable proposition than ever before. 

All of the vans listed below could be made into electric campervans! Please get in contact with us before you purchase your vehicle as we haven’t worked on every single model as yet. We are particularly excited about the larger models which we want to convert more of in the coming year.

Small electric vans:

  • Maxus eDeliver 3 (short wheel base variants)
  • Nissan e-NV200
  • Renault Kangoo ZE
  • Renault Zoe Van

Larger electric vans:

  • BD Auto eTraffic
  • BD Auto eDucato (3.5 tonnes)
  • Citroen e-Dispatch
  • LEVC VN5
  • MAN eTGE
  • Maxus eDeliver 3 
  • Maxus eDeliver 9
  • Mercedes-Benz eVito
  • Mercedes eSprinter
  • Peugeot e-Expert
  • Renault Master ZE
  • Renault Trucks Master ZE
  • Vauxhall Vivaro-e
  • Volkswagen ABT e-Transpo
  • Volkswagen ID Buzz

VW ID Buzz campervan

The Love Campers VW ID Buzz Campervan

The VW ID Buzz as a campervan

The VW ID Buzz, with it’s hippy style reminiscent of the much-loved VW Type 2, is a head-turning all electric vehicle that makes eco-conscious van life a dream come true.

Did you know, that we’re one of the few converters in the WORLD to have experience turning the all-electric VW ID BUZZ into a campervan?

With a range of up to 258 miles and a speedy charge time of only 30 minutes, the VW ID Buzz is perfect for weekend adventures.

At Love Campers we fit the ground-breaking EcoFlow Delta Pro battery and a powerful solar panel system which works on low light. This ID Buzz can achieve a 60 mph speed in just 5 seconds, making it incredibly powerful for an electric car.

Alongside innovative technology such as infotainment, the ID Light system and Travel Assist, the van is built from eco materials throughout – animal-free leather and extensive use of recycled materials throughout.

The interior features the Love Campers signature high-quality conversion with a full kitchen, slat bed, seating area and loads of storage. Everything you need for your sustainable road trip.

For classic camper enthusiasts like ourselves, the ID Buzz really got our innovative minds in gear! 

We’ve created multiple designs for this ground-breaking van which start at £19,999 +VAT. Find out more on our ID Buzz conversions page.

We’d love to help you with your electric van conversion

If you’re thinking of buying an electric base vehicle and would like us to convert it for you please do get in touch before you purchase, as we haven’t worked on all the electric vans available on the market yet!

We’ll just want to make sure that it’s something that will work with our existing Love Campers designs so we can make sure your green-camper-dreams come true!

Nissan E-NV200

Which designs will work in an electric campervan?

At Love Campers, we’re experienced in making our tried and tested campervan layouts in a range of different sized electric vehicles. Some of the design layouts we recommend include:

E-Mandalay

electric campervan conversion Love Campers

Electric Campervan Design

This camper conversion and comes with a rocknroll bed, pop top roof, four belted seats and up to two double sleeping berths. 

The E-Mandalay features an induction hob, solar panels and some other optional extras.

The Mandalay offers everything you could have in a larger conversion, including an extra-wide bed.

E-Chamonix

id buzz campervan conversion

Electric Campervan Design

This camper conversion comes with either a single or double slat bed and wooden panelling throughout.

The E-Chamonix features an induction hob, solar panels and some other optional extras. It works well in the iconic VW ID Buzz van.

Not sold on electric campervans? Here are some other ways to make van life more sustainable

campervan and nature

Solar Energy on your Campervan

Of course, electric campervans may not be the right option for everyone. Another way we’ve always been able to make our campers more ecologically friendly has been to build campervans that function off-grid, from renewable solar power.

Through fitting powerful solar panels and connecting them to the leisure battery system, your entire campervan system can be powered from clean solar electricity.

If you’re unable to buy an electric vehicle this is a great option for making your current campervan more eco-friendly.

Love Campers Mandalay Conversion - Solar

Reconnecting to nature through the campervan lifestyle

The simple act of being outside more helps us to rethink our consumption. Being in nature, breathing in fresh air and disconnecting from the pressures of city life, allows us to reflect on the beauty of our world.

Escaping in your campervan forces you into a more minimal way of living, without the need (or space!) for unnecessary material possessions. It reminds us of the importance of slow, conscious travel and gives us more time to appreciate and look after the environment.

electric van conversion

How to make campervanning more sustainable in general

Maybe you’ve already bought a base vehicle or you might not be able to buy an electric van for another reason. Not to worry! There are many others ways we can aim to make van life more sustainable. Get in touch to ask us about an off-grid campervan.

If you already have a vehicle of your own you may wish to ‘patch it up’ and make do until it’s on its very last legs. 

Ultimately, protecting the planet involves consuming less and thinking about our current habits. Re-using and fixing up what is broken, rather than throwing something away, is one of the main ways we can protect our planet today.  

Thank you for reading this guide and for joining us on this quest to make van life more sustainable.