In the near future, could your adventure van be electric? Seems like it’s going that way. And while its early days yet to get the sort of raw energy density necessary to, say, overland for a month off the grid, a tiny electric camper such as this e-NV200 Winter Camper Concept van might be great for brief excursions in the not-so-remote countryside.
Nissan Europe is exploring this idea with this camperized version of its tiny electric van, which is similar to the NV200 cargo van sold in the United States, except for the fact that it uses a battery-electric drivetrain. Anyone who’s seen one of these things in person can agree that it’s just the right size for smaller commercial vehicle use, but it appears to be a bit claustrophobic for camping duties—as these official pictures reveal. On the other hand, you can’t help but cozy up with what we’d hope is a very close companion on your winter camping adventure, so maybe it’s better that there’s not enough space to do anything else.
Mechanically, this electric van appears mostly unaltered. That said, its ride height is raised slightly to clear a set of off-road-oriented tires, and it sports extra spotlights for visibility in bad weather. The camping gear includes a pop-top and a rechargeable power pack (presumably for shore power functions) that is tied to a roof-mounted solar panel. A small integrated kitchen and folding beds provide a modicum of creature comforts.
Upfitters are already turning e-NV200s into campers, so it’s not clear if this is just a fun concept from Nissan or a preview of a factory conversion. We’d bet on the former. If you want to make your own tiny Nissan e-camper, then you better head to Europe where the brand sells the little electric van that serves as this concept’s base.
