Ahead of its public display at the Adventure Van Expo in Oregon this weekend, EV specialist Maxwell Vehicles announced it has teamed up with premium van-builder Rossmönster to create a purpose-built electric camper that fans of this site are going to eat up. Complete with a solar roof, adequate range, and eventual access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, this electric camper van will be available to test out soon. Check it out.
Maxwell Vehicles is a young company specializing in EV conversions and purpose-built electric vans it has been delivering to customers since 2019. They’ve been on my radar since 2021, when I ran into them at a farmers’ market in Los Angeles and got to talking with their team.
I got an up-close look at an early iteration of Maxwell’s Vanacea electric camper, and although its interior was a little rough around the edges, the prototype showed a lot of promise, especially from an EV platform and technological standpoint.
Parked next to Maxwell Vehicles was another van specialist – Colorado’s Rossmönster, which specializes in van conversions into campers – so naturally the two decided to pair up and bring the EV community something it is constantly sharing its hunger for: viable electric camper van options.
Today, the two companies have unveiled their first purpose-built electric van, designed for road trips and off-grid living. Before it goes on sale, you will be able to rent it out and try it… depending on where you live.
Maxwell looks to bring new electric camper van to market
According to today’s press release, this purpose-built electric van conversion sits atop Maxwell Vehicle’s Vanacea EV platform, complete with an 80 kWh traction battery and features a custom-built interior from Rossmönster you can view in the images above.
The battery delivers a whopping 7,800 watts of available power supplied at either 120V or 240V – more than enough juice to effectively power the van’s compact instantaneous hot water heater, 9,000 BTU heat pump, or its kitchenette’s induction cooktop. Maxwell founder and CEO Max Pfeiffer also shared that the electric camper has bi-directional charging capabilities, allowing the van to power your home during outages.
In addition to the technology the electric camper van sits upon, Maxwell’s innovation is also present on the roof. The company has developed and implemented a “FreeRange” solar roof with 1,560-watt capacity, capable of charging the vehicle while parked or in motion. The company also developed a proprietary solar controller that charges the vehicle’s high-voltage battery directly. The result is maximum output and efficiency throughout a given trip.
To begin, Maxwell says the new electric camper offers 150 miles of real-world range – not ideal for road trips, but on par with most options we’ve seen from other companies developing similar vehicles. However, the company says a dual-battery option is coming in 2024 and will offer 250 miles of range – it is available for pre-order now.
Additionally, the electric van features a CCS plug that can replenish its battery in 30 minutes on a DC fast charger. However, Maxwell Vehicles says it is implementing the NACS in the future, enabling its drivers to access Tesla’s Supercharger network… but probably not until 2025.
You can configure an electric camper build from Maxwell Vehicles and get a price quote here, whether it’s the EV platform, a custom build with Rossmönster, or a conversion of your existing van. As for the new Vanacea electric camper seen above – it will be on display at the Adventure Van Expo from September 30 to October 1 in Redmond, Oregon, and Big Bear, California, October 14-15.
Lastly and possible most importantly, Maxwell shared that beginning in late October the van will become available for rentals and test drives in partnership with GoCamp. What do you guys think?
Author: Scooter Doll
Source: Electrek
