Electric camper van: does it make sense?

Bimobil has presented the compact expedition camper EX 270 based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 79. The debut took place at the Caravan Salon 2026 in Düsseldorf. The camper is 5.8 m long, has a gross vehicle weight of 4 t and a payload of 600 kg including the living module, driver, full fuel tank, 90 l of fresh water and gas supply. The living module features an alcove, a bathroom with shower and a kitchen; three layout options are available, one of which provides up to four berths. Interior height is 1.93 m, fresh water capacity is 100 l, grey water is 67 l, and gas is stored in a 20-litre tank. The exhibited unit is priced at €259,769, but at the time of publication the model had not yet been added to the manufacturer's main price list.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented its updated California range, including the fully electric ID. Buzz with a Good Night package, at a pre-IAA event in Berlin. The company claims to be the only European manufacturer that builds its entire motorhome family in-house. The Caddy California is available with 122 hp TDI or 116 hp TSI engines and a seven-speed DSG, featuring a 1.98×1.07 m bed. The ID. Buzz with the Good Night package includes a 2.03×1.2 m bed, Vehicle-to-Load function up to 2,000 W, and an Overnight mode that maintains climate control for up to 48 hours. The California model received a plug-in hybrid eHybrid 4MOTION with 180 kW (245 hp) and a 19.7 kWh battery, plus an inflatable kitchen and inflatable bed. The Grand California based on the Crafter is offered in 600 and 680 versions with a 163 hp TDI engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

After the summer season, many motorhomes, caravans and camper vans remain unused, and the Augsburg district faces a shortage of suitable parking spaces for winter storage. The Augsburger Allgemeine published an overview of available options and tips for preparing vehicles for prolonged inactivity.

Promobil tested a Mercedes V300d towing a Hobby De Luxe 460 UFe caravan on a trip from Stuttgart to South Tyrol. The journey to Caravan Park Sexten took eight hours due to a traffic jam on the Fernpass. The 237 hp all-wheel-drive vehicle towed a caravan weighing around 1,300 kg; average fuel consumption was just over 10 l/100 km while driving at 105 km/h on German motorways and crossing the Fernpass and Brenner passes. The lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control were noted to work accurately with the trailer.

At the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, Bimobil unveiled the new EX 270 expedition motorhome based on a Toyota Land Cruiser 79 cab-chassis. The vehicle measures 580 cm in length and 298 cm in height. The module offers three floor plans, sleeps up to four, and includes a 100-L fresh water tank, 67-L gray water tank, 180-Ah dual battery pack, and Truma Combi D heater. Gross vehicle weight is 4,000 kg with 600 kg payload. The show price was €259,769.

Kompanja from Brühl presented new camper van models at the Caravan Salon: the EINS Moto based on the Renault Trafic, and the ZWEI and ZWEI-L based on the Citroën Jumper. The EINS Moto allows a single person to load a motorcycle such as a BMW R 1300 GS into the interior via a rail with integrated winch; conversion takes ten minutes. The ZWEI and ZWEI-L feature a patented slide-out bathroom that manually extends 30 cm, a kitchen with a 70-litre compressor fridge, and a choice of gas or induction hob. The ZWEI-L measures 5.99 m, the ZWEI 5.41 m, and the EINS 5.08 m. The modular design allows retrofitting to older vehicles.