Whereas there are just a few notable exceptions, hybrid camper vans appear to be getting disregarded in favor of largely under-ranged electrical campers, which makes little sense for a car purpose-built to tour distances. UK camper store Sussex Campervans breaks from the pattern, retrofitting the lithium battery system from its all-electric Nissan NV200 camper van to a hybrid it calls the Camper Automobile VX-E. The tiny camper van provides lithium-powered tenting facilities to the complete vary and versatile fueling of its fuel powertrain, forsaking the necessity for LPG or diesel at camp.
We have seen the idea of an LPG-free camper van with electrical tenting facilities earlier than, and it is even one which's made its method to North America, the place camper van design lags nicely behind Europe. However the way in which Sussex arrived at its personal gas-electric format is uncommon and demonstrates a requirement for hybrid camper tech.
In contrast to different retailers which have designed zero-LPG tenting packages as an intermediate step on the way in which to an eventual all-electric RV, Sussex implements it as a step again from its double-lithium-loaded absolutely electrical mini-camper van. The corporate explains that it created the hybrid Nissan NV200 Camper Automobile VX-E in response to excessive demand, pairing the lithium-iron-phosphate electrical system it developed for its e-NV200 camper van to a petroleum 1.6-liter-powered NV200 base van.
Sussex initially created its highly effective lithium bundle for campers who needed to go zero emissions from bumper to bumper, driving and tenting with solely battery energy. However it realized that the bundle might work equally nicely for vacationers that need to go greener however with out giving up the vary and suppleness of a fuel powertrain.
Sussex lists the fuel NV200's mixed gasoline economic system at 35 mpg, and given the van's 14.5-gal (66-L) fuel capability, drivers are trying on the potential for over 500 miles (805 km) of vary per fill-up. Even when we minimize that right down to the 360 miles (580 miles) or so the van is rated at by the US EPA, that is nonetheless greater than double the e-NV's 124-mile (200-km) WLTP mixed vary score. Plus, drivers can simply gasoline it shortly at a fuel station fairly than having to bake electrical charging stops into the journey.
As soon as parked at camp, the VX-E's lithium battery and inverter take over energy provide duties, working the 50-L compressor fridge, induction cooktop, LED lighting, and USB and 12V retailers. Sussex additionally wires in a 240-V electrical hookup for plugging in at a campground with shore energy.
The kitchen block combines with additional storage and countertop house in again to run the complete size of the driver-side rear passenger and cargo areas. The 173-in (440-cm) van seats 4 folks on a mix of folding two-seat rear bench and two entrance seats. It will probably sleep all of them on the decrease "rock-n-roll" folding mattress and out there higher mattress within the pop-up roof.
The Nissan Camper Automobile VX-E is Sussex's newest providing and launched as a part of the 2022 mannequin lineup. The corporate builds the camper on used NV200 vans that vary in age from six months to 10 years. Costs begin at £48,995 (approx. US$58,825), a pleasant up entrance financial savings over the £67,995 ($81,625) Sussex now costs for the absolutely electrical e-NV200 Camper Automobile. Out there VX-E mannequin choices embrace photo voltaic charging, a slide-out bathroom below the mattress and a microwave.
Supply: Sussex Campervans
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