Once upon a simpler time, vans represented an off-grid escape from an increasingly tech-filled world. Now they can power your entire home during an electrical outage.
That’s only part of the ambitious plan for the Vanacea adventure van from Maxwell Vehicles, a Los Angeles-based electric vehicle maker, and Rossmönster, an RV/overland vehicle builder in Longmont, Colo.
The two companies unveiled the collaboration at the Adventure Van Expo in Big Bear, Calif., this past weekend.
Maxwell Vanacea
This version of Maxwell’s Vanacea is expected to offer an electric driving range of 150 miles. That can be boosted to 250 miles with a dual-battery option coming out in 2024. And yes, the van’s electrical setup is so robust that it can even power homes when the electricity goes out.
That’s similar to a recently announced EV concept from Nissan, which also offers flexible power use through its Hyper Adventure concept.
Given that the U.S. has more power outages than any other developed country, according to Popular Science, perhaps it’s not surprising that electric vehicles would evolve into backups for aging infrastructure.
Rossmönster Electric Campervan Features
The van is the latest update of Maxwell Vehicles’ Vanacea, a fully electric camper the company debuted last year (see below). Built from a RAM ProMaster, the collaboration levels up the interior with a design from Rossmönster.
Its electrical system is impressive, with 7,800 W of 120V/240V power provided by an 80kWh traction battery. This design “does away” with the need for separate battery systems, according to a press release, resulting in additional space and payload capacity.
The power system can support an instantaneous hot water heater, a 9,000-BTU heat pump, and an induction cooktop.
It also comes with 1,560 W of solar capacity through rooftop panels, allowing the vehicle to charge whether moving or stationary.
Atop the van is also a Fiamma F45S extendable awning.
The van offers a driving range of 150 miles per charge and can be recharged in 30 minutes using CCS DC fast charging.
Vanacea Future Enhancements
Maxwell Vehicles has also revealed a future enhancement: a dual-battery option offering a 250-mile range. That option is slated for 2024 and is currently available for preorder, the company said.
Moreover, for those curious about Tesla’s NACS charging system, the company will introduce a retrofitting option to use the Tesla Supercharger network. The vanmaker expects to make that option available sometime in 2025.
After its debut in California this weekend, the van will be available for rentals and test drives at GoCamp, a campervan and RV rental company. Luke Farny, the co-founder of Rossmönster Vans, said the fully converted vehicle will sell for about $180,000.
