The era of electric vehicles is, undoubtedly, upon us. No longer are EVs odd-shaped short-range conveyances designed for virtue signaling; nowadays, they come in all types, from compact crossovers to sport sedans. And that expansion is set to go into overdrive in the next few years, with an onslaught of all-electric pickup trucks, sports cars and SUVs. But for those who prefer to take their vacations in a camper van, perhaps no upcoming EV development is quite as exciting as Ford’s plan for an all-electric variant of the Transit, which could serve as the foundation for a whole new world of pure electric roadgoing campers.
At least, until now. It turns out General Motors is also working on its own electric van — which could also provide a good base for a super-green camper van.
Admittedly, that’s not the primary rationale behind the development. According to Reuters, GM’s planned EV van is aimed at businesses, not recreational users. The van is reportedly known internally as BV1, and will reportedly make use of at least some of the pieces of the company’s forthcoming electric trucks. One piece of the puzzle that seems sure to be there: GM’s new Ultium battery tech (seen above), which promises more range, more flexibility, faster charging and a lower price per kWh compared with the brand’s current batteries.
Still, while GM’s new van may be aimed at getting companies from local flower shops to UPS to grab them en mass — just like with the Ford, there’s no denying that an electric cargo van would make a spectacular foundation for a camper. After all, enjoying the great outdoors is even better when you can do it without pumping mood-killing tailpipe emissions into the atmosphere; and on a practical note, seeing as how many campsites have electricity already hooked up, an EV camper van could “refuel” while its owners sleep.
The Reuters report says the GM BV1 is expected to hit production in late 2021. If that’s true, we’re guessing we’ll see the first electric camper vans based on it hit the road by the end of 2022.
