E-Vanlife is Here
Breaking news: "Ford plans to build an all-electric U.S. version of its Transit commercial cargo van." (MotorWeek, November 2020) Meanwhile, the Italian manufacturer Ducato also plans to start selling the Fiat Ducato Electric in the next months, in all the same sizes as the Diesel models already on the market. What that means for the vanlife industry is clear: we will see the emergence of a new race of travellers, the ultimate eco-friendly-zero-emission-nomad: the EVanlifer.
CREDITS - Bertie Mandagie
Q1) RANGE
Cons - Many will argue that the range on ETrucks will be more limited than traditional trucks, making it challenging to explore remote locations.
Pros - Like the free camping apps, there will also be free recharging station apps available, making it possible to plan accordingly. We can guess that these stations won't be like the typical gas stations: people will have to wait for their truck to recharge, so the big guys will make sure to provide travellers with complete road service and entertainment. Who knows, we might witness an epic Truck Stop revolution.
CREDITS - InHabitat
Q2) PRICE
Cons - We can already see how expensive ECars are. We can guess the EVan will also cost a bit more than usual.
Pros - Governments have tremendous pressure to sustain the electrification of transportation. Buyers and builders investing in renewable energy sources are already receiving rebates and grants. According to cleanvehiclerebate.org: "All battery electric vehicles are eligible for the full $7,500.00$ rebate". And this is only the beginning.
Q3) MAINTENANCE
Cons - Long road trips can be hard on your truck. Who never got stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken serpentine belt? (It happened to us). Problems with your EVan's motor or systems are not something that your typical shady tree mechanic can fix and diagnose. It may be a while before you can find anyone other than a dealership to service your EVan.
Pros - If done right, the maintenance on your EVan might make it last much longer than a traditional truck. There are many nasty things in your fuel-engine van that shortens its lifespan: oils, fluids, fuel, rust, carbon deposits, etc. We might be surprised by how tough electric trucks will be.
CREDITS - Motor1.com
Q4) LIFE ON THE ROAD
Cons - We don't know if we'll be able to rely on those EVan batteries for the RV appliances we install. The manufacturers have taken the approach of giving range rather than the amp-hour ratings and amp usage information we need to calculate our off-grid run times. Furthermore, most conversions will still rely on 12V systems rather than the EVans 96V systems. Finally, heating and cooling options could be tricky. Electric heaters and air conditioners have proven to be the most power-hungry systems in any camper van.
Pros: If we figure out a way to use the onboard battery system, there's a whole new world waiting for us. Robust electrical systems built into the trucks may give us the power to leverage house/auxiliary battery systems in many ways. Think about it: your current solar panels could power your appliances AND your truck at the same time WHILE USING the regenerative breaking systems to refill your house batteries. Sounds like Star Trek, doesn't it?
Q5) ECO-FRIENDLINESS
Cons - Yup, there are probably a few cons we still don't know of when thinking of making cars with big lithium-ion batteries. If you've never seen a lithium mine, here's one. No wonder it is called "white petroleum": it is toxic, highly reactive and flammable. Experts still do not know how we will get rid of these batteries.
Pros - These same experts say electric trucks will considerably reduce carbon emissions if they end up being used in the transportation industry. Plus, they'll be quiet and clean, making it easy to creep into a camp at night without waking everybody up.
All of this said, we're excited about the future of van life. Battery systems have come a long way in a short time, and they will only get better with time and testing in the open market. Maybe someday we'll have to explain to our kids why those old noisy Westy sometimes smell bad.
It's the smell of gas, son.
Of what, Father?
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