A camper van, also referred to as a camper, caravanette, motor caravan or RV (recreational vehicle) in North America, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term describes vans that have been fitted out, whereas a motorhome is one with a coachbuilt body.

Ambiguity with motorhome

Motorhome-RV-Class-C-Sprinter-Ford-Chassis

The term motorhome is sometimes used interchangeably with campervan, but the former can also be a larger vehicle than a campervan and intended to be more comfortable, whilst the latter is more concerned with ease of movement and lower cost. For example, some campervans lack built-in toilets and showers, or a divide between the living compartment and the cab. The United States term "

recreational vehicle A recreational vehicle, often abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer that includes living quarters designed for accommodation. Types of RVs include motorhomes, campervans, coaches, caravans (also known as travel trailers and campe ...

" (RV) is more analogous to motorhome than campervan.

Features

Campervans may be equipped either with a "pop-up" roof which is raised during

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more nat ...

, or a fixed roof, either shared with the commercial

van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...

that forms the basis of the vehicle (commonly a "high-top" model), or as part of a custom coach-built body. Campervans usually have a small kitchen with a

refrigerator A refrigerator, colloquially fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to its external environment so th ...

(which is often powered by a choice of gas, battery, or mains electricity) and a two-burner gas hob and grill. They generally have dual-voltage lighting which can work from either a dedicated battery (other than the van battery) known as a deep-cycle or ''leisure battery'', or from AC power, supplied at a

campsite A campsite, also known as a campground or camping pitch, is a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using te ...

via a hook-up cable. Larger models may include a water heater, space heating and air conditioning, a

portable toilet A portable or mobile toilet (colloquial terms: thunderbox, portaloo, porta-john or porta-potty) is any type of toilet that can be moved around, some by one person, some by mechanical equipment such as a truck and crane. Most types do not require ...

and an internal shower. Smaller models often carry a portable toilet, and sometimes an external shower that operates within the privacy of an awning. The term "

Dormobile Dormobile is a 1950s-era onwards campervan (motorcaravan, motorhome) conversion manufactured by the coachbuilder Martin Walter of Folkestone in Kent. Initially based on the Bedford CA van, the name is associated more with those and subsequen ...

" is sometimes used generically in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

due to a once highly popular conversion brand, and "Kombi" is used in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

and other countries. The popularity of this type expanded in the 1950s after

Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...

commissioned the

Westfalia Westfalia is the designation of various specially converted Volkswagen camper vans. It is named after Westfalia-Werke, the contractor that built the vans, which is headquartered in the town of Rheda-Wiedenbrück, located in the Westphalia reg ...

company to use the Kombi version of their Type 2 transporter as the basis for a campervan.

Off-road variations

Off-road campervans are often referred to as 4WD or 4x4 campers. Some models include expandable tents mounted on the roof while others have pop-up roofs for additional sleeping space and storage. Pop-up roof variants share certain design elements with roof tents as sometimes fitted to more robust

four wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer cas ...

off-road vehicle An off-road vehicle, sometimes referred to as an overland or adventure vehicle, is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with de ...

s intended for expeditions rather than relaxed camping. A compromise between these two purposes is sometimes reached by basing the conversion on an off-road vehicle. Sometimes the conversion is demountable from the back of a pick-up truck body.

Classic Volkswagen and other campervans

There are several types of campervan manufactured by

; depending on their age, they are colloquially referred to as either a splitty (split windscreen), a

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a na ...

(bay framed windscreen), or a bricky ("brick" shaped van). Although less popular, Mercedes also manufactured a similar-sized light van and conversions were reasonably common in the 1960s and 1970s. Of a similar size and vintage is the British Commer Spacevan conversion. In Europe, the Citroën H-Van has also been used a base for many campervan conversions, and is popular amongst Dutch and Belgian users in particular. Ex-factory, it had several height and length configurations, and in all versions it had a low floor and high ceiling, a legacy of one of its original uses as a mobile shop. It does not usually need a pop-top to accommodate its users. Modern mid-sized Japanese vans such as the Toyota Hiace are sometimes converted to have the appearance of a classic Volkswagen.

New concept car camper

The car camper is an estate car(UK) or a station wagon (USA) converted into a travel home. The rear cargo area is converted into a full double bed area usually with a fabricated aluminium framework. All equipment necessary to set up a well-appointed camp site is stored under the double bed with access through lidded areas under the bed. Unlike a standard station wagon where the camping equipment has to be removed before sleeping or a tent set up, the car camper is self-contained.

British and European size and type classifications

A-class (AC)

Similar to North American A-class recreational vehicles (sometimes known generically as "Winnebagos") but generally still smaller in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. Fully coachbuilt over a medium-to-large van chassis, from 7.5 tonnes and upwards. Highly appointed, sometimes with electrically operated slide-out (sideways) extensions to the living space, electricity-generating windmills and in very large models (of North American scale) sometimes even fitted with a

hydraulically Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counte ...

operated garage capable of transporting a small car. Smaller (sub 7.5 tonnes) A class vehicles are also popular in Europe, similar in size to overcab coachbuilts, but without the base vehicle's cab. In its place, a (wider) cab is added, which allows for a drop-down bed to be fitted above. Recognisable by their large curved windscreens.

Overcab (OC)

Coachbuilt body, retaining the base van's cab, with a raised Luton van style area over the cab containing a bed. Other beds may be fixed in place, built by moving seats and tables, or lowered from the ceiling. Shower and toilet cubicles usually fitted. Sometimes including a garage for bikes, and may be large enough to support a mechanism for towing a small

city car The A-segment is the 1st category in the passenger car classification system defined by the European Commission. It is used for city cars, the smallest category of passenger cars defined. A-segment sales represent approx. 7-8% of the market i ...

. Roughly comparable to the North American C-class (CC). Common base vehicles include the

Fiat Ducato The Fiat Ducato is a light commercial vehicle jointly developed by FCA Italy and PSA Group (currently Stellantis), and mainly manufactured by Sevel, a joint venture between the two companies since 1981. It has also been sold as the Citroën C25, ...

Renault Master The Renault Master is a large van produced by the French manufacturer Renault since 1980, now in its third generation. It replaced the earlier Renault Super Goélette light trucks. Opel has sold versions of the second and third series vans as ...

, and

Ford Transit The Ford Transit is a family of light commercial vehicles manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1965, primarily as a cargo van, but also available in other configurations including a large passenger van (marketed as the Ford Tourneo in ...

Low profile (LP)

Coachbuilt but without a raised bed over the cab. Other beds may be fixed in place, built by moving seats and tables, or lowered from the ceiling. Shower and toilet cubicles usually fitted. Garages and towing fittings may be carried as with the overcab designs. Typical base vehicles are lighter-duty or smaller-engined variants of the same vehicles used for overcab designs.

High top (HT)

Based on a high-top van, typically of around 2.8 to 4.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, without major coachbuilding modifications to the body. Beds typically fixed in place or built by moving seats and tables. Shower and toilet cubicles sometimes fitted. Typical base vehicles are the same as for the coachbuilt designs, above. Often, a Dodge, GMC or Ford van will be professionally converted into a high top.

Rising roof (RR)

Often based on a relatively small van, typically 2 to 3 tonnes gross vehicle weight, including the classic Volkswagen Type 2, and with a roof which raises, usually with fabric sides, in a way not unlike a roof tent. Bed typically in the rising roof but also sometimes built by moving seats and tables. A rising roof is also sometimes used to allow for standing room in the vehicle. Shower and toilet cubicles rarely fitted. The

Volkswagen Transporter The Volkswagen Transporter, based on the Volkswagen Group's T platform, now in its seventh generation, refers to a series of vans produced for over 70 years and marketed worldwide. The T series is now considered an official Volkswagen Group aut ...

is a common base vehicle, and

s are also reasonably common.

Fixed roof (FR)

Also known as "surf vans" (or "surf buses") and "day vans". Typically similar in size to the rising roof designs. Beds usually built by moving seats and tables. Shower and toilet cubicles very rarely fitted. The

and Mercedes-Benz Vito are particularly common base vehicles. They have become the successors to the classic Volkswagen Type 2. Slightly smaller vans such as the

Fiat Scudo Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiar ...

may be used; on occasion, even smaller vans such as the Fiat Doblò are used to make casual light-duty campers with minimal facilities beyond sleeping space.

Dismountable (DM)

Wildcat pop-up camper (1) ACC Berlin 2017

A coachbuilt body sits on a (sometimes modified) pick-up load-bed, and generally removable at campsites to allow the vehicle to be used. Ford,

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

Nissan , trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the Nissan, Infiniti, and Datsun bra ...

and

Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...

vehicles are common bases.

B-class (BC)

This term is not commonly used except for imported North American models, which may vary greatly in size from semi-low profile coachbuilts to van conversions. Typically, a van chassis is provided without interior or some exterior features as an "incomplete vehicle" by an automobile manufacturer, and upfitted with RV amenities by a coachbuilder. It is then sold as a completed RV and usually has safety standards certification from the RV Industry Association.

North American van conversions

17-GMC-Vandura-Chevrolet-G30-Daniela-Kloth-IMG 4026

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

there are many manufacturers of campervans. Since the 1970s, Japanese vans like the Toyota HiAce and the

Datsun Urvan Urvan may refer to: *Nissan Urvan, a cargo van * ''urvan'', a concept of the soul in Zoroastrianism *Urvan, Azerbaijan, a village in Azerbaijan * Michael Urvan, American gamer who was party to the sting.com domain name dispute {{dab ...

, as well as European models based on the

and Bedford vans, have become popular as base vehicles for conversions.

Amenities

A modern campervan may contain some or all of the following features: * Propane gas- or

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...

-powered

* Propane gas or electric cooktop, grill, or both *

Microwave oven A microwave oven (commonly referred to as a microwave) is an electric oven that heats and cooks food by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequency range. This induces polar molecules in the food to rotate and produce ...

* Oven * Propane gas- or electric-powered water heater * One or more beds, some of which double-up as daytime seating * Electricity supplied by "house"

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

or external hook-up * Built-in or cassette toilet with removable disposal tank – a flushing toilet with access usually outside the campervan for easy emptying. Some models have a swivel system for extra space. *

Shower A shower is a place in which a person bathes under a spray of typically warm or hot water. Indoors, there is a drain in the floor. Most showers have temperature, spray pressure and adjustable showerhead nozzle. The simplest showers have a ...

Television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

(with an aerial,

satellite dish A satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive or transmit information by radio waves to or from a communication satellite. The term most commonly means a dish which receives direct-broadcast satellite televisio ...

, or both) *

Air conditioning Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...

(at least the normal vehicle's cab system) * Room heater or central heating * Potable water tank *

Wastewater Wastewater is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes. Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of domestic, industrial ...

tank for "grey" (wash) water and black (sewer) water * Extendable external

awning An awning or overhang is a secondary covering attached to the exterior wall of a building. It is typically composed of canvas woven of acrylic, cotton or polyester yarn, or vinyl laminated to polyester fabric that is stretched tightly over a li ...

– an extendable canvas shade which offers protection from the sun. * Generator – powered by gasoline, diesel or propane * Solar panels – for additional electricity generation * Bike rack – a carrying device for bicycles, usually fixed to the rear of the campervan.

References

External links

* {{Commons category inline, Campervans

Van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...

Portable buildings and shelters Recreational vehicles Vans